According to a new study the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) has emerged as an unlikely ‘eco-warrior’ in Ethiopia’s second-largest city Mekelle.
About Spotted Hyena:
It is also called the laughing hyena.
It is a strong and capable hunter and the largest member of the hyena family.
It looks like a dog but is closer related to cats, civets, and genets.
Appearance: It is physically distinguished from other species by its vaguely bear-like build, rounded ears, less prominent mane, spotted pelt, more dual-purposed dentition, fewer nipples, and pseudo-penis.
Habitat: It inhabits in savannas, open and dense dry woodland, grasslands, mountains, tropical rainforests, semi-deserts, and coastal areas.
Distribution: It is mainly found throughout sub-Saharan Africa (Chad, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Angola, Namibia, and parts of South Africa),
Characteristics of Spotted Hyena:
They have excellent night vision, being mostly nocturnal, hunting at night, and sleeping or staying near their den in the daytime.
They have a matriarchal social order of related individuals that are called clans. One alpha female leads the clan.
These animals mark their territory by scratching the ground and with an oily substance that they secrete from their anal glands.
Diet: These are carnivorous animals that hunt and scavenge.
It is the only placental mammalian species where females have a pseudo-penis and lack an external vaginal opening.
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