Night Stalker: Hyena Gang on Natgeo Wild
HYENAS are often depicted as cunning, scheming, and “outlaws” of the animal kingdom. On the contrary, the lion is often seen as graceful, mighty, and “king of animals”. Many see lions as heroic hunters while hyenas are robbing scavengers, picking up scraps, and stealing prey from a lion. Is this true?
Verdict:
FALSE
This might shock many but the truth is, a lion is more likely to steal the prey of hyenas, not the other way around.
Hyenas are one of the animals with the worst reputation in the wilderness. Its villainous appearance somewhat contributes to this.
Living in a clan like a band of pirates, they are rarely loved, and borderline hated.
Zoos snub them due to no public demand. Conservation groups do not use their photos to raise money.
They are also the perfect example of why humanity should not judge a book by its cover (Or the whole book if it was The Lion King).
Contrary to popular belief, hyenas are in fact highly intelligent social predators, able to coordinate with each other as a well-oiled unit that can hunt almost any prey.
Rather than a band of pirates, they are more of a well-coordinated “SWAT” team, communicating with each other through an array of whoops, yowls, grunts, screams, and giggles.
Long vilified as full-time scavengers, spotted hyenas are some of Africa's most proficient predators, killing 95% of their food.
As hunters, alone or in groups, they equal leopards, cheetahs, and lions.
But unlike some predators which leave their prey to rot once they've had their fill, a pack of hyenas will most of the time make full use of the hunt, wasting nothing but a patch of blood on the ground.
Biologist Kay Holekamp told the Smithsonian Magazine that a scrum of hyenas can dismantle and devour a 400-pound zebra in 25 minutes.
An adult can tear off and swallow 30 or 40 pounds of meat per feeding. Latecomers will pulverise the bones for minerals and marrow. Hair and hooves get regurgitated later.
The Michigan State University distinguished professor who has been studying spotted hyenas for over three decades said she expected to study spotted hyenas for three years and move on "but they just kept getting more interesting."
As sad as it is, oftentimes, mankind will judge something negatively just because the looks are not appealing as others.
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/
https://www.
https://www.smithsonianmag.
https://youtu.be/O0tGmjf6bts
