STRIPED HYENA
Local name :Jarakh
Physical measurements &life cycle
Length : 115-150 cm
Height :65-70 cm
Weight : male :30-40 kg
Female : 25-35 kg
Gestation : 84 days
Life span :15-20 years
Breeding : Winter
* Description
Hyena has aesthetically unpleasing and strange-looking dog-like appearance. Head and front portion of the body are massive.Its front body portion is taller:hind parts are lower.It has heavy dorsal crest of long hair. Its coat is dirty white to greyish with blackish stripes on body and limbs.
* Food
Carnivorous.Chiefly a scavenger and thus feeds on carrion bones,carcass etc.Occasionally,it also on live sheep,goats and village dogs etc.
* Distribution
Hyena occurs all over the state.
* Habitat
It inhabits forests, open areas,grasslands, ravines,wastelands etc.
* Behaviour
Nocturnal. It rests in grass and thickets,under the bushes or in dens. Usually found solitarily or in pairs.It can break,crush,chew or swallow bones.It makes chattering noise.
* Signs of presence
Pugmarks
* Population
About 900 individuals was estimated in 2001 (gujarat)
Striped hyena not only looks weird, but also produces some "unearthly" weird calls. Usually,this animal avoids to confrontation with other bigger animals like leopard or dogs. However,when the need arises of defending the food,it doesn hesitate to attack strong/bigger animal like a leopard.when it does not see any chance of escaping from a pack of dogs.it often pretends dead.
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