On the African continent, you can find many different species of animals that are rare elsewhere on the planet. Among them, hyenas should be noted, which are mammals of the order of carnivores, the suborder of felines. These animals belong to the hyena family of the same name.
There is hardly a second creature as memorable as a hyena. A thick and short muzzle, a sloping back, a putrid smell, a howl similar to repulsive human laughter - all this can be called the characteristic features of this animal.
The hyena family are carnivorous mammals, numbering 4 species. Striped, spotted, brown and earthen wolf - such species of hyenas are known to scientists. The average length of an individual is 1.5 m, weight 70 kg, color from reddish to yellow-gray with stripes or spots. The habitat of hyenas is sub-Saharan Africa and the Eurasian continent.
Hyenas feed on both fresh meat and carrion. The digestive system is designed in such a way that it is able to digest meat, bones, and skin. But hyenas are not averse to feasting on the juicy pulp of watermelons and melons. They have an excellent sense of smell, allowing them to smell prey several kilometers away.
Hyenas live in matriarchal flocks. In pursuit of leadership, females arrange deadly fights. The female hyena is an exemplary mother. She feeds babies born with open eyes and full teeth for up to 20 months.
A tail lifted up is a sign of a high position in the flock. It is believed that hyenas are hermaphrodites, but this is not so. It's just that the genitals of females and males are very similar, which confuses non-professional zoologists.