STRIPED HYAENA
DESCRIPTION: The Striped Hyaena is a large,
shaggy, buff-coloured animal that looks like a canid at first appearance. Like
all hyaenas, it has a heavyset body balanced on spindly legs of which the
forelegs are longer than the hind ones, giving it an ungainly slouched
appearance. Similar to the other three bone-
cracking hyaenas globally, it has a thick neck, large head, massive jaws
and unique premolar teeth. The buff body has 5–9 black stripes on the flanks,
two cheek stripes, and horizontal stripes on the legs. It has coarse, long fur
from the shoulder to the hindquarters and the back has a dark crest that can be
erected as a threat to make the animal look a third larger than normal. The pelage
can vary geographically from a very light buff to grey and sometimes even pale
cream. The muzzle and the throat are black. The patch around the throat has
dense fur and thick skin.The tail is long and shaggy. There are four toes on
each feet bearing non-retractable canid-like claws. Two characteristic hyaenid
features are their anal pouches and
their juvenile genital convergences. They have a well- developed anal pouch
that can be inverted and this can be visible at times. Juvenile males have
smooth and hairless pre-scrotal folds above the scrotum that superficially
resemble the labial folds above the vagina of the females. However, this
characteristic does not persist in adults. Sexual dimorphism does not exist other
than the visible teats in case of pregnant females and the genitalia. The young
are pale white, maneless, but with stripes.
BEHAVIOUR: The hyaena is known to paste two
different coloured secretions from its anal gland, a white and a black one, on
vegetation, which are its primary means of communication. What it is known for,
however, is the long, laughing call that ends in a cackle, which is heard at
nights in its habitat and has given rise to many superstitions about its
quasi-magical prowess.
DISTRIBUTION: Through peninsular India,
south of the Himalayas, in arid and semi-arid tracts with the exception of
dense forests, true deserts and coasts. Not present in the Western Ghats, or
most of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the North–East and most of West Bengal.
HABITAT: Open scrub and dry thorn forests, often found near human habitation. Avoids true deserts; frequents arid and semi-arid country. Habitat preference is linked to availability of denning sites, which could be caves in rocky terrain, burrows dug by them, or even those by porcupines. Found normally up to 2,500 m in hilly terrain, but in Pakistan has been reported at more than 3,000 m.
Size: 100–115 cm
IUCN Status: Near Threatened
0 comments:
Post a Comment