The hyena is a carnivorous animal belonging to the mammalian
family. There are four species of hyena: aardwolf, brown, spotted and striped.
The hyena is a native species to both the African and Asian continents.
Hyenas have a number of distinguishing features such as
longer front legs than back legs which gives them a distinctive gait. The fur
of their short manes stand on end when they experience fear. Hyenas have
spotted and stripped fur depending on the species and strong teeth for tearing
meat. A hyena's teeth are used to break
down bones for chewing.
Besides teeth specially made for the predator lifestyle,
hyenas have strong digestive systems that produce a lot of acid to break down
both fresh meat and carrion. Hyenas a re known for their scavenger skills and
mark their territory like dogs.
Interestingly, hyenas express sexual dimorphism meaning that
both the female and male of the species have a similar physical appearance. The
female hyena has enlarged sexual organs which look like male organs from a
distance.