When it comes to animals, the hyena is one of the fascinating creatures on this planet. They’ve been around a long time and are, in fact, mentioned in early Egyptian texts, where they are described as “devil-like” creatures with repulsive appearances. These animals are not only fascinating to look at, but they also possess a number of fascinating qualities that set them apart from all other animals. However, did you know that there are other animals like hyenas? Let’s learn about some of them in this article.
9 Animals Like Hyenas
Are you curious as to what animals share the same characteristics as hyenas? Here are nine of them and the characteristics they share with each other:
1. Coyotes
- Scientific Name: Canis latrans
- Why coyotes are like hyenas: They are both scavengers and social animals
Coyotes are a species of canid found throughout North America and are very adaptable animals that can live in almost any environment, making them one of the most common wild animals on the planet. These animals live in family groups known as “packs,” which include a male and female pair as well as their young offspring.
Coyotes are highly social animals, and they frequently find companionship with other coyotes they meet while hunting for food or exploring new territory. Hyenas, like coyotes, are social creatures.
These canines often live in packs, which means these animals have a close-knit group of the same species with whom they spend their time and hunt, and they generally stick with them throughout their lives.
2. Leopards
- Scientific Name: Panthera pardus
- Why leopards are like hyenas: Leopards and hyenas are both nocturnal and carnivores
A leopard is a large, wild cat that is found in Asia and Africa. They have a spotted coat that helps them blend in with their surroundings, and they are also carnivores that feed on various animals such as deer, antelope, buffalo, and even humans.
Their diet primarily consists of medium-sized animals, but they have been known to hunt much larger prey, such as elephants. Leopards and hyenas are both nocturnal carnivorous animals, which means they hunt for food at night.
Because they are both members of the cat family, they share physical characteristics such as long tails and large sharp teeth.
3. Mongoose
- Scientific Name: Panthera pardus
- Why mongooses are like hyenas: Both animals belong to the suborder Feliformia.
The mongoose is a small, highly adaptable mammal that lives in warm, humid climates worldwide. India, Africa, southern Europe, and South Asia are just a few places where you can find mongooses.
These animals are well-known for their ability to climb trees and swim in water easily, and they are also popular for being excellent hunters and scavengers. Mongooses and hyenas are related because they both belong to the suborder Feliformia.
The Feliformia is a suborder that includes mongooses, hyenas, and cats. Members of this group share many characteristics, such as retractable claws on their paws and other physical characteristics, such as a long snout and teeth designed for chewing meat.
4. Jackals
- Scientific Name: Canis aureus
- Why jackals are like hyenas: They are both scavengers and hunt in groups.
Jackals are animals that can be found in Africa, Asia, and Europe. These creatures are related to coyotes and wolves in the same family. They resemble dogs, but they are much smaller and more slender (they weigh between 15 and 30 pounds).
Jackals are omnivorous, meaning they consume both plants and animals, and they inhabit grasslands, bushlands, mountains, and deserts. Jackals, like hyenas, hunt in groups known as packs. They eat small to medium-sized animals like rabbits, rodents, birds, and insects.
When fruits and vegetables are available, jackals will eat them. Both of these animals also scavenge for food, which means they eat other animals’ leftovers.
5. Foxes
- Scientific Name: Vulpes vulpes
- Why foxes are like hyenas: Foxes and hyenas are animals that hunt at night.
A red fox is a small member of the dog family with pointed ears and a bushy tail. These animals can be found all over the Northern Hemisphere, including Europe, Asia, and North America. The coat of the red fox is typically reddish-brown, but it can range from silver to black.
These animals can also weigh between 11 and 22 pounds. Foxes and hyenas are both animals that hunt at night. They both have excellent hearing abilities and use their sense of hearing to locate their prey.
Both foxes and hyenas use a variety of vocalizations to communicate with one another.
6. Cats
- Scientific Name: Felis catus
- Why cats are like hyenas: Both belong to the suborder Feliformia.
Cats are mammals with fur, whiskers, and pointed ears. They are carnivores, which means they eat other animals, and cats are one of the domesticated animals that have been around for thousands of years.
These mammals have been known to seek out the most vulnerable prey among birds, rodents, and reptiles, depending on the availability of food resources. Cats are more closely related to hyenas than any other animal.
They are anatomically similar in many ways, including retractable claws, small ears, and a snout with canine teeth for hunting. Both animals have a similar way of life: they hunt and scavenge for food on land or in water (both animals hunt at night).
7. Wolves
- Scientific Name: Canis lupus
- Why wolves are like hyenas: They both live in packs and are scavengers
Wolves are large, social canines that live in packs. They are carnivores that feed on animals like deer, elk, and moose. Wolves also occasionally consume smaller prey, such as rabbits and rodents.
An alpha male and female, their pups, and subordinate pack members make up most wolf packs. The pack’s alpha pair are the only ones who breed, and they decide where to hunt based on their knowledge of the land.
Wolves and hyenas are both carnivorous mammals that hunt in packs. They are also scavengers, which means they hunt for meat that other animals have already killed.
8. African civet
- Scientific Name: Civettictis civetta
- Why African civets are like hyenas: African civets and hyenas are nocturnal and are in the suborder Feliformia
African civets are nocturnal mammals that inhabit forests and grasslands. They are solitary creatures that eat small mammals and birds, but will also eat insects and fruit when necessary.
Because of their long bodies and flexible joints, they are excellent climbers and swimmers; they can also climb trees and dig holes in the ground, and use abandoned burrows made by other animals as dens or hiding places during the day. African civets and hyenas are similar because they are both nocturnal, which means they are active at night and sleep during the day.
These creatures are also related because they are both included in the suborder Feliformia, which means they have retractable claws like cats and other four-legged predators.
9. Tasmanian devil
- Scientific Name: Sarcophilus harrisii
- Why Tasmanian devils are like hyenas: Both animals and nocturnal and eat other animals.
A Tasmanian devil is a small carnivorous marsupial found in Australia. The name refers to the creature’s shrill screeching sounds, which are actually territorial calls. Tasmanian devils are about the size of a cat, but they have a stocky build with thick fur.
They also have short legs and sharp claws that help them dig burrows in the ground where they sleep during the day and raise their young at night. Tasmanian devils and hyenas are both nocturnal carnivores. These animals have very similar diets, with meat accounting for the majority of their calories.
The main difference is that Tasmanian devils eat smaller animals such as lizards and frogs, whereas hyenas eat larger game such as gazelles and zebras.
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