Hyenas are not as numerous as you might think: Poison, guns, snares, sport hunting, and habitat loss due to human expansion are taking their toll on the misunderstood hyena.
Hyenas are the subject of perhaps more myths than any other African animal, which has unfortunately led to decades of persecution against these unusual creatures. The rapid expansion of human population into remaining hyena habitat – and the intentional killing of hyenas by humans – will eventually prove to be more than this resilient species can tolerate.
To help raise awareness of hyena conservation, here are 12 surprising things you didn’t know – plus a compilation of beautiful photos. Enjoy!
Hyena fact 1: There are actually four species of hyena.
The four hyena species include the brown hyena (Parahyaena brunnea), spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena), and the aardwolf (Proteles cristata). All four species are found in Africa, and the striped hyena’s range includes the Middle East.
Pictured: Spotted hyena
Image: flickr.com/jamestemple/ / CC BY 2.0
About Rhishja Cota-Larson
