Second Brother of the Grassland: The spotted hyena, a beast of prey that lives in the African savannah, has attracted attention for its complex and unique living habits. Not only do they possess powerful hunting skills, but their social behavior is also quite sophisticated. Today, let's take a closer look at the habits of spotted hyenas.
First, let's take a look at the food preferences of spotted hyenas. Although they can adapt to a carrion lifestyle, most of their food is obtained through hunting. Spotted hyenas seem to prefer medium-sized ungulates, such as wildebeests or zebras, to large animals (such as African buffaloes) or small animals (such as Town's gazelles). In addition, spotted hyenas do not rely primarily on smell for prey like wolves, but rely more on sight. When hunting in groups, spotted hyenas will target animals with low physical strength in the group.
Next, let's take a look at the social behavior of spotted hyenas. The herd of spotted hyenas is led by a single female, and the number of members can range from 5 to 90. Each ethnic group is a permanent social group, influenced by complex social classes. In this society, lower-class members lick the sexual organs of upper-class females as a sign of submission. Males in all groups lick the sexual organs of the female leader, and since the males at the top are below the lowest females, it is rare for a female spotted hyena to lick the males. Female spotted hyenas tend to mate with males of other groups to prevent inbreeding.
Hunting is an integral part of the life of a spotted hyena. They are nocturnal beasts of prey that rest in the grass or burrows during the day and come out at night in search of food. Spotted hyenas hunt individually, in groups or in groups, and sometimes even 40-60 individuals hunt together in organized rounds of large animals such as zebras, bison, etc. When they capture prey en masse, they will rush up and bite at the stomach, neck, limbs, and other parts of the body at the same time. This style of hunting allows the spotted hyena to quickly divide its prey in a short period of time.
In general, the spotted hyena is an animal with unique habits and clever hunting strategies. Their lives are full of challenges and competition, but also of cooperation and mutual assistance. The next time you encounter this mysterious animal in the African savannah, observe their behavior and maybe you'll find more surprises.