Are spotted hyenas and brown hyenas mainly scavengers?

No. This is a rumor that spotted hyenas mainly hunt for food, and the same goes for brown hyenas. Hyenas are strong in combat and can sometimes outperform cheetahs.

In fact, this is not the case, they will prey on herbivores such as wildebeest and zebras in their daily lives, and sometimes they will also eat the carrion of other animals.

Many people think that the main food of spotted hyenas** is carrion, but in fact this is not the case at all. The brown hyena, the "cousin" of the spotted hyena, is indeed a scavenger.

Spotted hyenas and brown hyenas are not both scavengers, in fact only brown hyenas are scavengers, while spotted hyenas are not.

Because the spotted hyena is larger, more predatory and aggressive than the brown hyena, it is the more dangerous side of the two species.

There are many myths about hyenas, they are not just scavengers, and not all species laugh. They are not wild dogs, and although they have the word dog in their name, they have nothing to do with the canine family. The spotted hyena, commonly known as the spotted hyena, is the largest of the hyena family, which also includes brown hyenas, brown hyenas, and coyotes.

The brown hyena, known in the country as the hyena, is another subspecies of the hyena, which belongs to the genus Striped Hyena. Unlike other hyenas, it has a number of morphological features, including distinctive vertical stripes and pointed ears. Spotted hyenas may look strange, they have a huge, long, thick head, muscular neck, and powerful jaws, which make them bite harder than any big cat.

Introduction to spotted hyenas and brown hyenas

Spotted hyenas are similar in appearance to wildebeests in that their front legs are longer than their hind legs. The paws of the spotted hyena have four toes, but the paws on the paws of the feet are not retractable. The short, coarse fur is yellow or gray with markings.

Their ears are rounder than those of other hyenas, and the short mane on their back is erect. They have an average length of 90 to 106 centimeters and a height of 70 to centimeters at the shoulders. Female spotted hyenas weigh about 56 to 75 kilograms, which is about 15% heavier than males.

The striped hyena is a bit smaller as compared to the spotted hyena. He has a big head, black eyes, a thick nose, and a pair of large, pointed ears. They have a black muzzle, ears, and throat, but their fur can be blonde, brown, or gray, and they have black stripes on their bodies and legs.

Spotted hyenas have a long history of eating carrion, so the genes inherited by spotted hyenas contain antibodies to immunize carrion bacteria, so spotted hyenas will not get sick if they are immune to carrion bacteria.

Because their bodies are so powerful that they can digest what they eat in their stomachs right away, they basically don't get sick.

Mainly due to its special bodily functions, the stomach of a scavenger is very powerful and can destroy most microorganisms and viruses.

Hyena (scientific name: hyaenidae): is a collective term for mammals, carnivores, and hyenidae. They belong to the same family, with only 4 genera and 4 species, and can be divided into 2 subfamilies: hyena subfamily and coyote subfamily.

Medium in size and resembling a dog. long neck, hind limbs shorter than forelimbs, short body, high shoulders and low hips; dorsal midline with long mane at the back of the neck;

The teeth are large, with stout, tapered premolars, the lobed teeth are developed, and the molars are degenerated.

The jaw is thick and strong, and it can bite through bones.

Hyenas (striped hyenas) are small, striped and mostly solitary, relying on their developed sense of smell to forage for carrion.

(1) Often, the reality is that the hyenas hunt themselves, and then the big cats such as lions occupy the hyena's capture, and the hyena can only wander around waiting to eat some leftovers. So it gives the impression that hyenas don't hunt themselves.

2) The hyena is a robber on the grassland, and the success rate of its own hunting is not high, so it can only rely on snatching other people's prey to satisfy its hunger.

What makes brown hyenas so powerful is that they have a unique set of adaptability and hunting strategies. First of all, the brown hyena is one of the largest and fastest canines in the world, with excellent athleticism and resistance to stupidity and strength, allowing it to track and outperform its prey. Secondly, brown hyenas adopt a group hunting method, forming a highly cooperative hunting team.

Group hunting not only increases the success rate of hunting, but also effectively defends against predators and protects the young. In addition, the brown hyena has excellent intelligence and strategic thinking, and is able to use a variety of hunting strategies such as round-up, ambush and chase, and is flexible in responding to a variety of prey and environments. On top of that, brown hyenas are highly social, and close cooperation and mutual support within the group give them great advantages.

Overall, the Brown Hyena is so powerful because of its physical fitness, efficient group cooperation, and intelligent strategic use.