Striped Hyena

Indian striped Hyenas are smallest among the other species of Hyenas.

It belongs to the class Mammalia and is from the family of Hyaenidae. Its genus is specified as Hyaena and order Carnivora. It is scientifically called as Hyaena hyaena.

Kingdom	Animalia
SPhylum	Chordata
Class	Mammalia
Order	Carnivora
Family	Hyaenidae
Genus	Hyaena
Species	Hyaena hyaena

Physical structure

Indian Striped hyenas have a brownish and grayish skin sheet called as fur covered over its body. Blackish shaded thick stripes are similar to stripes seen in a wild zebra and these are found in its legs, head and back, and in its torso which gives rise to the long fore limbs and short hind legs, that shows the torso in a slanting slope direction.


Its ears and muzzles are totally black, the ears even radiate heat as it is one of the climatic adaptable animal. It also has a smaller mane at its neck and top of its torso, which straightens whenever it starts threatening. The tail having a feathery look measures upto 20 cms and reaches the hooks.

The average weight of Indian striped Hyenas ranges from 30 to 40 kgs. They usually grow upto a height of 4 to 5 feet and its shoulder height may vary from 66 to 75 cm. The wild striped hyenas have a usual life span of 10 to 12 years and that may extend from 20 to 25 years if it is under captivity.

Indian Striped hyenas are naturally found in the tropical regions, grasslands,woodlands and dense forests.

They are usually found in the seashores and also in forests. Striped hyenas are cave animals where they sleep in the morning in caves and burrows.

They are mainly considered to be solitary in nature and also they are found in small family groups. Indian striped Hyenas mainly wander in the night time and search for their food and hence are seen rarely during the day time.

Places found

Ranthambore Tiger Reserve: The Ranthambore Tiger Reserve located in Rajasthan is one of the largest national parks in Northern India with an area of 392 kms. Striped hyenas are mostly found in Ranthambore Tiger reserve. The touristers here can spot various fauna like leopards, tigers, sloth bears, hyena, cats, etc. Jeep and bus safaris are arranged for the touristers to view the game in Ranthambore Tiger reserve.

Barnavapara Wildlife Sanctuary: The significant feature of Barnavapara wildlife sanctuary is that the region covers a small area of around 245 sq. kms, even though the region is hilly and flat terrain surfaces, which varies with a range of altitude from 265 to 400 meters. The sanctuary is known for its unique wild and it was established for the same cause in the year 1972 under the act called 'Wildlife Protection Act'.

Wildlife comprises of a lengthy list of animal and species, majorly it comprises of Striped Hyena, Tigers, Monkey, Sloth Bear, Chinkara, Flying Squirrels, Jackals, Porcupine, Leopards, Black Buck, Jungle Cat, Four-horned Antelopes, Barking Deer, Bison, Wild Dogs and many more.

Bandhavgarh National Park: Bandhavgarh National Park is located at Madhya Pradesh, India with an area of about 450 square kilometers. The thick forests of Bandhavgarh National Park sits in between the cliffs of the Vindhyan Mountains. The forest has the wild attractions like Indian leopard, Elephants, Tiger, Nilgai, Chausingha, Chital, Chinkara, Indian Muntjac Chital, Striped Hyenas, Sambar, Wild Boar and Fox or Golden Jackal.

Sariska Tiger Reserve:The Sariska Tiger Reserve is a national park in India located in the Alwar district of Rajasthan.

The park is situated at a distance of 107 km from Jaipur and 200 km from Delhi. This area was a hunting reserve and it was declared a wildlife reserve in 1955. In 1978, the park was given the rank of a tiger reserve making it a part of India's Project Tiger system. The current area of the park is 866 kms. Most commonly spotted carnivores here are leopard, Bengal tiger, wild jackal, wild dog, sambhar, chital, hyena, wild cat, nilgai, wild boar, etc.

Gir National Park: The Gir National Park is situated in Gujarat with an area of 120 square-miles with rich flora and habitat. Primarily, it is the home for Lions and has the largest leopard population compared to other national parks in India. Leopards can be seen at the border of the park during the summer seasons. Other Wildlife here includes Sambar deer, Chital, Jackal, Hyena, and Langur Monkeys. Jeep safari is conducted in order to view all the wildlife at Gir National park.

Jim Corbett National Park : The Jim Corbett National Park is located in Ramnagar in the district of Nainital, Uttaranchal, at the foothills of Himalayas. The biggest attraction in this park is the wide variety of wildlife, breathtaking natural vegetation and trekking trails. The usual way to explore the Jim Corbett's park is through the Jeep or Elephant safaris. It is the most popular tourists place. It is the house of 50 species of mammals, and a variety of faunas and floras. The most common animals are Leopard, Deer, Royal Bengal tiger, Indian elephants, Para or Hog Deer, Striped hyenas, Barking deer, Wild boar, Chital, etc.

Kanha National park : The Kanha National park located in Mandla, Madhya Pradesh is a famous tiger reserve and a national park with an area of 1,067 kms. The park has a population of Royal Bengal Tiger, Leopard, bear, Python, Striped Hyenas, Pea fowl, Hare, Monkey and Indian wild dog. Elephant safari and Jeep safari are conducted in order to view all the wildlife at Kanha National park.

Food Habits

Indian hyenas are mainly carnivorous wild animals and they usually eat small animals like sheep, donkeys, rabbits, insects, rodents, birds and lizards as well. Carrions are the main part of feeding for the striped Hyenas. Also in some instances they do have fruits as their diet.

Mating behavior

Indian striped Hyenas do not have a specific season to mate. Hyenas mate during the day time and the male hyena grips the female Hyena's neck at that time.

The gestation period extends to a period of 3 months, and the number of cubs given birth may vary from 1 to 5, and they are born in dens.

The new born cubs have closed eyes, ears are small and have adult markings as per their gene to which it may belong. After a week span their eyes open and get together with its mother.

A time span of about two to four months is applicable for the young ones to get weaned from its mother. In about six months, the young ones start moving out with its mother, on its own. About 2 to 3 years are required for the young ones to reach its sexual maturity.

Subspecies of Striped Hyena

Striped Hyenas are said to have five subspecies according to their region to which they belong,

SCIENTIFC NAME	REGION
Hyaena hyaena hyaena	India
Hyaena hyaena syriaca	Middle East
Hyaena hyaena sultana	Arabian Peninsula
Hyaena hyaena dubbah	North East Africa
Hyaena hyaena Barbara	North West Africa

Population of Striped Hyenas in India

Indian Striped Hyenas are counting an average of around 1000 to 3000 measured in the conservation areas. It is to be notified that Indian striped hyenas are certainly falling under the category of 'NEARLY THREATENED' species. Existing conditions show that the population is declining at a faster rate, due to the diminishing food stocks and shelter been competing with Leopards.

Threats to Indian Hyena

It has been a major conflict between the Striped Hyenas and Human, compared to the other wild predators. The significant reason would be that of hyenas having their feeding focusing towards Human live stocks and mainly the children at some instants. This increases the hunting habits of human towards the striped hyenas, beyond the reason of meat. Habitat could be another reason for the hyenas to decline at a fast rate.

Competition with other predators

Indian striped hyenas have some wild predators apart from Human predators.

Gray wolf is one among it and the conflict will be due to the food stocks of gray wolf shared by the hyenas.

Since the Indian striped Hyenas are known to be scavenging on the dead stocks from other wild animals like tiger, leopard etc. Foxes are the competing predators for striped Hyenas. At some instants foxes that are not in alert nature are hunt down by striped hyenas.

Poaching

Poaching of Indian striped hyenas has been increasing by the Humans, due to the conflicts between Human and Hyenas. Also there exists a belief that different parts of striped Hyenas are good for some cure, and poaching the same, could be one among the reason for it.

Conservation effort in India

The striped hyenas are classified as 'Nearly Threatened' species by the IUCN, and due to the patchy distribution of Hyenas in different regions, it has been difficult in improving the conservation efforts other than that of the animals available in the Wild Life protective sanctuaries and protected forests. Due to this reason of scattered distribution of Hyenas, exact count has not been yet known, while it is noted that the decline in the number of species is increasing.

Hyena as a symbol in various religions

Striped hyenas are called as 'dhubba' in Arabic regions, has been alluded in a valley called 'Shaqq-ud-Diba' means 'cleft of hyenas' and another called 'Wadi-Abu-Diba' which means 'Valley of hyenas'.

Interesting Facts

• Being a scavenger, striped Hyenas are able to crush even long bones and swallow the same. Adult and well grown striped Hyenas can even challenge a leopard and win its race to attack furiously.

• Indian striped hyenas are similar in look as aardvarks. The manes available in its back straightens and becomes larger in size to show up itself as a dangerous animal to its predators, and can be dangerous too. Most of the time striped female Hyenas give birth to its cubs in dens and sometimes that may be in caves, burrows occupied by porcupines and aardvarks.