Why do hyenas live in the desert

Donate now. Learn how we're protecting Africa's species each and every day so we never have to live in a world without elephants, rhinos, and other precious wildlife. Breadcrumb Wildlife Conservation Hyena. What are hyenas? Scientific name. Crocuta crocuta spotted hyena , Hyaena hyaena striped hyena , Parahyaena brunnea brown hyena.

About 35 to 80 kilograms 77 to to pounds. Life span. Up to 20 years in the wild and 25 years in captivity. There are. Snares kill about. Clans can grow to. Challenges Human-wildlife conflict is a major threat to hyenas. Solutions Our solutions to protecting the hyena:.

Community Empowerment. Proactively mitigate human-wildlife conflict. Employ scientific research. Behaviors They have a great sense of humor. Packs work together effectively to isolate a herd animal, sometimes one that is ill or infirm, and pursue it to the death.

The victors often squabble over the spoils, either among themselves or with other powerful animals like lions. All rights reserved. Common Name: Spotted Hyena. Scientific Name: Crocuta crocuta.

Type: Mammals. Diet: Omnivore. Group Name: Clan. Size: Head and body: 34 to 59 inches; tail: 10 to 14 inches. Weight: to pounds.

Size relative to a 6-ft man:. Least concern. Least Concern Extinct. Current Population Trend: Decreasing. This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram.

Follow us on Instagram at natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo. Share Tweet Email. Go Further. Animals Climate change is shrinking many Amazonian birds. The tail is short and bushy.

The forelegs, which are horizontally striped, are much longer and more massively built than the hind legs, giving the brown hyena the appearance of always climbing a hill. The striped hyena is 39 to 45 inches to cm long and 26 to 30 in 66 to 75 cm tall from paw to shoulder, according to the San Diego Zoo. Their tails add another 12 to 16 in 30 to 40 cm and they weigh from 57 to 90 lbs. Striped hyenas have long hair that is gray to straw-colored. Their muzzle is black, and there are black stripes on the head, torso and legs.

Aardwolves are the smallest species of hyena. They weigh from Aardwolves resemble striped hyenas , with similar fur texture and color. Where hyenas live depends on their type. Brown hyenas have a very limited range and live only in Southern Africa, including the Kalahari and Namib deserts.

There are two distinct populations of aardwolves. One subspecies lives in southern Zambia, Angola and Mozambique, as well as northeastern Uganda and Somalia. The other subspecies extends into central Tanzania, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt.

Spotted hyenas have a little bit larger range and live south of the Sahara Desert. They occur throughout sub-Saharan Africa, and are the most numerous large predators in the Serengeti. The striped hyena has the largest range of all. Hyenas can adapt to almost any habitat and are found in grasslands, woodlands, savannas, forest edges, sub-deserts and mountains as high up as 13, feet Hyenas are very social and live in groups called clans.

Clans can have up to 80 members, according to the National Wildlife Foundation. Not only are spotted hyena females larger, they are also more aggressive and are dominate in their clans. All females rank higher than males in the clan. However, the brown and striped hyenas and aardwolves have male-dominated clans.