VV (13) - Stand Wolf

[David Morris]

http://www.bartleby.com/65/hy/hyena.html

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition.  2001.

hyena

(h-´n) (KEY) , carnivorous, chiefly nocturnal mammal of the Old World family 
Hyaenidae. Although doglike in appearance, hyenas are more closely related 
to cats (family Felidae) than to dogs. The front legs of a hyena are longer 
than the hind ones, giving the back a sloping appearance. Hyenas feed mostly 
on carrion and can crush bones with their strong teeth and jaws. They hunt 
small animals but usually flee if threatened. They sleep by day, in caves or 
burrows. Hyenas range over most of Africa and SW Asia. Three species are 
generally recognized. The spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta, of Africa S of the 
Sahara, is the largest and boldest species; it stands 21/2 ft (76 cm) high 
at the shoulder and has a gray coat with irregular patches. Often abroad in 
the day as well as at night, it pursues game in packs and even invades camps 
and villages in search of refuse and livestock. The smaller striped hyena, 
Hyaena hyaena, of Asia and N Africa and the brown hyena, or strand wolf, H. 
brunnea, of S Africa are shyer and more nocturnal and solitary in their 
habits. The former is grayish brown with darker stripes; the latter is dark 
brown over most of the body. The hyena is a valuable scavenger but is 
considered repulsive because of its stench and its cry, which resembles 
maniacal laughter. The aardwolf is a member of the hyena family. Hyenas are 
classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, 
order Carnivora, family Hyaenidae.    1
See H. Kruuk, The Spotted Hyena (1972); J. L. Gittleman, ed., Carnivore 
Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution (1989).

_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com