Hyenas really aren’t what you think

Misconceptions about hyenas that I’d like to clear up

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Anthropomorphization- the attachment of human-like characteristics or behaviors to non-human entities such as animals. Ever since the pop culture began starring animals in movies and TV shows, the general public’s perception of how the natural world works has been slightly skewed. Animals such as lions, eagles, and herbivores in general have been portrayed in a positive light, while other animals, such as sharks, snakes, and wolves, are often typecast as villains of the story. However, since the start of the 21st century, we’ve learnt a lot more about these ‘villains’, and the public perception of them has been slowly shifting towards the positive side. But, there is an animal that I personally feel is still severely misunderstood — I’m of course talking about the hyena.

Ever since Disney’s The Lion King was released in 1994, hyenas have been depicted as ravenous and barbaric scavengers that can cause ecosystems to collapse because of their appetite, and their reputation hasn’t really recovered since. Even in many nature documentaries, hyenas are often narrated as the antagonists: savage, cowardly and the arch-nemesis of the magnificent lion. In this article, I’m going to change the narrative a little and shine the spotlight on the villain of the African Plains. Hopefully, after learning more about these creatures, you will begin to see them in a different light.

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Misconception 1: Hyenas actually aren’t dogs

The first myth I want to debunk is actually not really related to how hyenas are portrayed, but rather it’s about their classification. Growing up, one of the biggest misconceptions I most frequently hear is that hyenas are big dogs, with some of my friends even thinking that hyenas are cats. While hyenas and members of the dog family share many similarities (more on that later), these animals are actually neither dogs nor cats. Hyenas are actually their own thing, belonging to the family Hyaenidae. The closest relatives to this family are actually mongooses. Hyaenidae contains 4 extant species: the striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena), the brown hyena (Parahyaena brunnea), the aardwolf (Proteles cristatus), and the infamous spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta). Even though the term hyena is often used to describe the spotted hyena, any of the four members of this family can be scientifically called a ‘hyena’. (This article, however, will focus solely on the spotted hyena, so any time the term hyena is used after this paragraph, it will refer specifically to the spotted hyena.)

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Misconception 2: Hyenas are cowardly scavengers

The last nature documentary you’ve watched that featured hyenas probably depicted them snarling at vultures while they tore into the carcass of either a zebra or antelope. While hyenas do plunder kills from other smaller animals, this is not a behaviour that is unique to them. Other African carnivores, such as lions and leopards, also frequently steal kills from other predators, including the hyenas themselves.

The reason hyenas often hang around carcasses more often is actually for a different reason. When many carnivores are done with a meal, they often leave the skeleton behind, since bones are generally too tough for them to break and digest. Hyenas, however, possess a remarkable bite force and extremely strong stomach acid, allowing them to break apart and digest bones, gaining access to nutritional bone marrow. On top of that, hyenas also have a higher immunity to diseases and bacteria found in rotting flesh, allowing them to consume decomposed remains that would be toxic to other carnivores. This is also why hyenas generally hang around carcasses more, not because they are exclusively scavengers, but because they have more efficient adaptations for consuming such resources. Because trust me, hyenas are more than competent enough to hunt their own food.

While hyenas are relatively slow compared to other African carnivores, they boast exceptionally high stamina. Their strategy generally involves chasing their prey over long distances until the prey is too exhausted to fight back, a strategy that is actually really similar to wolves and other canines. In fact, hyenas actually hunt more than they scavenge. They have a hunting success rate of 74%, far surpassing the lion’s meager 21%. (Kind of makes you rethink the narrative of lions being noble while hyenas are thieves.)

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Misconception 3: Hyenas wreak havoc on their ecosystem

In nature, every individual species has a role to play. Unless they are introduced, there is no single species that ‘wreaks havoc’ on an ecosystem — each species contributes to the health of the ecosystem in its own way, including the hyena. Hyenas, being one of the few animals capable of crunching bone and consuming extremely decayed meat, are the clean up crew of the African savanna. By efficiently removing carrion and bones, they help prevent the spread of nasty diseases that could be potent to other animals. Furthermore, they also help to regulate local prey populations. The truth is, if Mufasa really banished all hyenas from the Pride Lands, his kingdom would quickly transform into a graveyard with tons of bones and rotting carcasses, leading to widespread disease and a not so Disney ending.

Photo by Javi Lorbada on Unsplash

Hyenas, like all other creatures on this planet, have found their place in the ecosystem through millions of years of evolution. While their contribution may not be the cleanest, they still provide a valuable service to the African Savannah. As scavengers, they help to clean up carrion, preventing the spread of nasty diseases. As hunters, they help to weed out the weak, helping maintain a healthy prey population. Hyenas are creatures deserving of our admiration and respect, not scorn and disgust, because a world without The Lion King’s villains is not a world I would want to live in.