Species in News · The Green Radar

Striped Hyena

🦴 Scavenger 🌙 Nocturnal ⚠️ Near Threatened (IUCN) 🛡️ Schedule I (WPA)

🔍 Quick Facts

Scientific NameHyaena hyaena

FamilyHyaenidae

DietPrimarily Scavenger

ActivityNocturnal

Global Population5,000–14,000

IUCN StatusNear Threatened

← Back to The Green Radar

🦁Introduction

The Striped Hyena (Hyaena hyaena) is one of the four surviving species belonging to the family Hyaenidae. The other three are the Spotted Hyena, Brown Hyena and Aardwolf.

It is the most widely distributed of the world's four surviving hyena species and the only one that occurs outside Sub-Saharan Africa.

👁️Appearance

It is smaller than the Spotted Hyena and has distinctive stripes across its body.

🌍Habitat

The Striped Hyena inhabits a variety of habitats, including:

Savannas

Grasslands

Semi-deserts

Open woodlands

Mountainous regions

🗺️Distribution

It is mainly found across:

South Asia: India, Nepal and Afghanistan

Western Asia

Central Asia

North Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa

📋Characteristics

Nocturnal: It generally emerges only after dark and returns to its lair before sunrise.

Striped Hyenas scent-mark the edges of their territories. They patrol their territories mainly at night, aided by sharp vision, acute hearing and a highly developed sense of smell.

Primarily a Scavenger: Its diet mainly consists of carrion and human refuse. However, large individuals have also been known to hunt and kill their own prey. Attacks on humans have occurred in rare instances.

Generally Solitary: The striped hyena is generally considered solitary, but has some social organization.

Female Dominance: Adult females are dominant over males and may be aggressive towards other females.

Monogamous: Males and females form monogamous pairs, with both parents assisting in raising their cubs.

Defensive Behaviour: When attacked, it may feign death. However, it has also been known to stand its ground against larger predators during disputes over food.

📊Population

Estimates suggest that there are around 5,000–14,000 Striped Hyenas worldwide.

Of these, around 1,000–3,000 are estimated to occur in India, possibly representing one of the largest populations in any single country.

🛡️Conservation Status

IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I

Practice Environment Tests

MCQ-based tests on Environment & Ecology — free on website & app

Go to Environment Tests →