The primary habitats of hyenas (Hyaenidae) are found in Africa, Arabia, and India. They are among the smallest members of the Carnivora animal family, with a length of 3 to 5 feet and a weight of 100 to 150 pounds.
Hyenas come in four different species:
- spotted,
- striped,
- brown,
- aardwolf.
While the other hyenas have pointed ears, the spotted one has round ones.
Their forelegs are longer than their rear legs, and their torsos are small and stout. They have a loping gait because of this anatomy.
Hyenas have short, coarse hair that can occasionally be speckled or tan in color. Their hair grows in a lengthy mane that reaches their shoulders. The striped legs and longer hair of the brown hyena.
Hyenas hunt, but their primary mode of survival is scavenging; they consume leftover prey after the deaths of other animals. In particular, spotted similar to hyenas hunt in packs to bring down prey like as zebras, wildebeests, and antelopes.
The aardwolf is an insectivorous animal that mostly consumes termites. It may consume up to 250,000 termites every day using its long, sticky tongue.
Although they are nocturnal animals, hyenas are visible throughout the day. They reside in up to 80-person clans. They are well recognized for using their laugh-like sound to warn other clan members when food is ready. In addition, they shout, whine, chitter, grunt, roar, and howl.
Continue reading to discover 12 more amazing animals that similar to hyenas.
1. African Painted Dog
Scientific Name: Lycaon pictus
Quick Summary: Because of their similar appearances and hunting techniques, as well as their common habitats, African painted dogs often get confused for hyenas.
With its ear structure and patterned hair, this species, sometimes called African wild dogs, similar to hyena. It lives grasslands, savannas, and other open spaces throughout Africa.
These wild dogs belong to the separate taxonomic family Canidae and have a more squared-off body type than domestic dogs.
They hunt in groups and are successful at dawn and dusk. These canines outperform other predators in their ability to catch prey, including antelope, gazelles, and impalas.
While hyenas only produce two or three cubs at a time, these unusual dogs may have enormous litters of up to twenty puppies at a time.
2. African Civet:
Scientific Name: Civettictis civetta
Quick Summary: Due to their manes, nocturnal activity, and similar body forms, African civets and hyenas are related animals.
Similar to hyenas, African civets have a short mane of hair around their backs. Their bodies are similar in general structure. They are found in savannas, woodlands, and riverine areas in central and southern Africa.
These species are solitary and nocturnal. They eat a variety of foods, including fruits, rodents, insects, carrion, eggs, and so on.
They are adaptable and have the capacity to dig, swim, and climb.
3. Dingo
Scientific Name: Canis lupus dingo
Quick Summary: Similar to hyenas, dingoes hunt in packs and have a similar ear structure and long tails.
Dingoes and hyenas are similar in that they have long tails and ear forms.
Nonetheless, wild dingoes may be found in Chile and Australia. These canine-like predators hunt in packs and are strong enough to take down cattle as well as an adult kangaroo.
Complex vocalizations used by dingoes include howls, snorts, high-pitched cries, and purrs.
4. Coyote
Scientific Name: Canis latrans
Quick Summary: Coyotes similar to hyenas in that they have long tails and ear forms, and they both belong to social groups.
All of North America’s environments, including cities and suburbs, are home to coyotes. Despite being omnivores, they eat a lot of meat and prey on insects, small animals, pets, and livestock.
These candids live in social groups, usually with five to twenty members, just like hyenas. It’s interesting to note that coyotes may breed with gray wolves and domestic dogs.
Wolves share the long tails and pointy ears of other dog-family animals. Despite their diverse taxonomic categories, they resemble hyenas.
5. Wolf
Scientific Name: Canis lupus
Quick Summary: Wolves and hyenas forage for food and hunt in teams.
Similar to hyenas, wolves consume carnivorous foods that they have hunted or scavenged. They consume leftover prey from other animals as well as deer, elk, moose, rabbits, and other animals.
Strong forelimbs enable wolves to move quickly over short distances, enabling them to run over 35 miles per hour.
They inhabit a range of habitats in Europe, Asia, North America, and North Africa. Although it may have up to 30 members, their pack typically has 4 to 15 members. learn more.
6. Jackal
Scientific Name: Canis aureus
Quick Summary: Because of their long tails, similar ear shapes, and group viewpoint, jackals are similar to hyenas.
Because they are related to coyotes and wolves, jackals get along with them. Their long tails, pointed ears, and sociable group mentality are similar to hyenas.
They may be found in savannas, deserts, grasslands, and forests throughout Africa and Eurasia. Although some jackals live alone, groups of around 6 members are more common to see.
Jackals weigh 20 pounds and are only 35 inches long. They consume carrion, reptiles, insects, fruits, berries, and other foods as an opportunistic omnivore. They hunt together in groups to capture tiny antelopes and other animals.
7. Fox
Scientific Name: Vulpes vulpes
Quick Summary: In that they are vocalists and active at night, foxes and hyenas have many similarities.
Similar to hyenas, foxes showing nocturnal habits and are mostly active at night.
They have a varied diet, catching rodents, frogs, birds, and rabbits with their amazing hunting abilities. They also consume carrion, fruit, and other things opportunistically.
With the exception of Antarctica, foxes may be found worldwide and in a range of environments.
Typically, foxes will bark or howl loudly. To alert potential partners, they may sound like a yelling lady. Additionally, they produce high-pitched noises that sound like dog “yip” sounds.
8. Mongoose
Scientific Name: Herpestidae
Quick Summary: Because they both live in similar place areas and are members of the same taxonomic suborder—Feliformia—mongooses and hyenas are similar.
There are two groups of animals in the Carnivora order: dogs and cats. Cat-like animals similar to hyenas and mongooses are classified as Feliformia.
Similar to hyenas, mongooses may be found in many regions of Africa, Asia, and Iberia. While some mongoose species live on land, others are semi-aquatic or inhabit trees.
They are scavengers and hunters who seize opportunities. They consume grass, insects, small animals, birds, and reptiles.
9. Wild (& Domestic) Cats
Scientific Name: Felis silvestris
Quick Summary: Similar to Hyenas and cats are members of the same suborder of Feliformia and are active at night time.
As was already noted, cats and hyenas belong to the Feliformia group.
Felis silvestris lybica, the African wildcat, is the ancestor of cats kept in houses. Thus, domestic cats and hyenas are connected.
This category also includes big cats like cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), lions (Panthera leo), and leopards (Panthera pardus).
Carnivores of the tiny size, both wild and domestic, cats hunt small creatures including birds, rodents, and reptiles. Warthogs, buffalo, deer, giraffes, and wildebeests are among the prey of large cats.
Similar to hyenas, cats are crepuscular animals that hunt at dawn and dusk. However, they are also more active at night.
10. Genet
Scientific Name: Genetta
Quick Summary: Similar to hyenas, genets belong to the same taxonomic suborder and are night hunters.
This cat-like creature belongs to the Feliformia suborder, which also includes hyenas, and is not a cat. Like civets, they are members of the Viverridae family.
The genet is an omnivore that consumes both tiny prey and fruits. They seek for food, like birds, at night.
Their bodies are flexible, with long tails, pointed noses, big, round ears, and small legs. They have ringed tails and spotted hair with a vertebral black line.
11. Tasmanian Devil
Scientific Name: Sarcophilus harrisii
Quick Summary: The teeth and jaws of the Tasmanian devil, a nocturnal carnivorous animal, similar to hyenas.
The marsupial carnivores known as Tasmanian devils are nocturnal, or crepuscular. They consume carrion in addition to prey including wallabies, wombats, lambs, and rabbits. Similar to hyenas, they even break through and consume the bones.
When they eat at night, they frequently snarl and roar. Tasmanian devils have thick, black hair with a white breast stripe, and they resemble tiny dogs or cats in size.
Their main habitats are coastal woods and dry sclerophyll (Australian) forests in the Australian state of Tasmania.
12. Aardvark
Scientific Name: Orycteropus afer
Quick Summary: Because they are both nocturnal insectivores and eat mostly on termites, aardvarks and aardwolf hyenas are similar.
Aardvarks use their long, sticky tongues to eat up to 50,000 termites and ants a day. The aardwolf consumes more than 250,000 termites per day and has a large, sticky tongue.
Aardvarks inhabit savannas, grasslands, rainforests, and woods across sub-Saharan Africa. They are adept swimmers and foot walkers.
Conclusion:
Despite their dog-like look, hyenas are really more closely related to cats than to dogs. They belong to the Feliformia suborder, which is also home to genets, giant domestic cats, and mongooses.
African civets and African painted dogs, which frequently wander the same habitats, are strikingly similar to hyenas in terms of physical appearance.
Like the Tasmanian devil, they are able to bite through and consume bones because to their strong jaws and teeth.
Many of the above creatures overlap, even if some of them reside in distinct locations. Similar nighttime habits are also seen by many when they go food seeking or foraging.