The Hyena — Trickster or Helper?
Although we followed that hyena for the best part of half an hour, we never caught up with it.
- Louis Leakey
The maniacal whoops of spotted hyenas sent a shiver of excitement down my spine as I pulled the covers up to my chin and wriggled my toes on the hot water bottle at the foot of my bed. What was going on out there in the dark beyond my tent? The drama of the African savannah picks up tempo when the sun goes down. The following morning, we passed a lone hyena lolling in a mud puddle like a partygoer recovering from a wild night on the town too hung over to make it home.
With its dirty coat and half lidded eyes this character looked every part the malingerer. In truth, hyenas get a bad rap. Often referred to as one of the Ugly Five, this apex predator has been labeled with negative character traits that invoke distain, distrust and disgust; thief, bully, rank-smelling wily trickster.
Hyenas are omnivores. Although they are capable hunters they regularly steal from cheetahs and lions and will chow down on any carcass they come across no matter how old or rotten. This is one of their key roles in the ecosystem. Thanks to hyenas nothing is left on the savannah to cause disease. Their strong jaws and frantic feeding style make quick work of meat, skin and bones. Nothing is left behind. Hyena poop is white, an indication of the amount of calcium in their diet from digested bones and marrow. Their hardy immune systems may yield valuable scientific information for dealing with communicable diseases like the current Corona Virus since hyenas are unscathed by diseases like rabies, distemper and anthrax that have impacted wild dogs, lions and ungulates.
Hyenas are recognizable by their sloping back, long neck and loping gait. They live in clans and make their dens in holes dug by aardvarks or other small burrowing animals. Females are superior in hyena society. They are bigger in size (135–180 lbs) and obsessed with status. One alpha female rules the den, sometimes she will form a coalition with other females, but guys come last every time. An interesting fact about female hyenas is they have a pseudo-penis. It is used for copulation, urination and also giving birth. Giving birth is difficult since this part of their genitals has to stretch enough to enable the fetus to pass through. Mothers have two nipples. If a female gives birth to three cubs the weakest one will usually die of malnutrition.
I was fascinated when we came across an active family of hyenas hanging around outside their den. Adults chased each other like happy dogs at play while cubs emerged from burrows to nuzzle their mothers and romp with other youngsters. The females lounged about, looking at us inquisitively. I realized there’s more to hyenas than their unfair reputation and demented laugh. Research shows they are intelligent social creatures whose predilection for anything edible — fresh or rancid — keeps the environment healthy and balanced. And those little black hyena babies even have their own element of cuteness. When we eliminate a species because of our projected distain or disgust we upset nature’s balance. We need to remember that each species deserves protection and has a role to play in a healthy planet. Enjoy more Heartfelt Stories on my weekly blog.
Watch this video clip of an active hyena den.
