Michael Logan
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The first ancestral hyenas were likely similar to the modern African civet; one of the earliest hyena species described, Plioviverrops, was a lithe, civet-like animal that inhabited Eurasia 20–22 million years ago, and is identifiable as a hyaenid by the structure of the middle ear and dentition.
Hyena, (family Hyaenidae), any of three species of coarse-furred, doglike carnivores found in Asia and Africa and noted for their scavenging habits. Hyenas have long forelegs and a powerful neck and shoulders for dismembering and carrying prey.
Feb 8, 2024 · Learn how spotted hyenas, the most abundant large carnivores in Africa, hunt, socialize, and adapt to various habitats. Discover their advanced society, cognition, and ability to break stereotypes and myths.
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A hyenais a prehistoric predator that has outlasted some of the most iconic monsters of the palaeolithic, survived the ice age, and was chasing humans out of caves for tens of thousands of years. It has some of the most powerful jaws in the animal kingdom and most of what we know about certain populations of early hominids come from bone fragments ...
1. There are dog-like and cat-like hyenas
A really long time ago, hyenas split into two groups. One branch evolved to be like dogs, and the other grew to look a bit more like cats, at least in the formation of their jaw. Cats and hyenas both have reduced dentition, so their skulls can be hard to tell apart, at least when they’re not connected to the rest of the hyena. Almost all of the dog-like hyenas went extinct when real dogs arrived and took up all the niches. That’s why, out of the 4 species of hyena around today, only one repre...
2. They’re bone crushers
As we mentioned, the dog-like hyenas went one way, and the cat-like hyenas another. The latter developed a useful survival tactic that may have helped them survive: they evolved to crush and eat bone. The spotted hyena has a bite force of 1,100 psi, which is more powerful than lions and tigers. Along with an immense bite force, the cat-like hyenas adapted their stomach acid and gut flora to digest almost everything in an animal carcass. That allowed them to eat long-dead meat, leftover from o...
3. There was once a 200kg hyena that could crush elephant bones
One of these hyenas was an absolute monster. Pachycrocuta brevirostris, a giant hyena, and the largest bone-crusher ever known, evolved alongside early humans, and competed for the same food source. This now-extinct member of the hyena family was heavy and slow, more cumbersome than its modern relatives, and is thought to have been a pure scavenger. 2
Scientific Classification
1. Riley Black (2019), “Prehistoric Hyena’s Teeth Show Bone-Crushing Carnivore Roamed the Arctic“, Smithsonian Mag. 2. Riley Black (2017), “In the Shadow of the Greatest Hyena“, Scientific American. 3. Sarah Zhang (2012), “Hyenas Change Their Diet During Lent, According to a Poop Analysis“, Discover Mag. 4. Lorena Lyon (2019), “Hyenas Probably Have More Friends Than You: Spotted hyena social hierarchies“, Havard. 5. Nicolas Mathevon (2010), “What the hyena’s laugh tells: Sex, age, dominance a...
Learn about hyenas, the ancient predators that have survived for millions of years and evolved to crush bones and eat termites. Discover their different species, habitats, behaviors, and interesting adaptations in this comprehensive guide.
Spotted hyenas are the largest of three hyena species. Brown and striped hyenas are the other two. Although hyenas appear similar to dogs, they are actually more closely related to cats.
Jun 14, 2019 · Centuries of storytelling paint the four species of hyena as laughing, demonic scavengers. It’s time to set the record straight.
Everything you should know about the Hyena. The Hyena is a dog-like predator with a hunched appearance, and unique laugh-like vocalizations.
