Species profile: the Striped Hyena

Understanding this threatened species

Key characteristics of the striped hyena

Species: Striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena)
Taxonomy: Order Carnivora, suborder Feliformia, family Hyaenidae, subfamily Hyaeninae
Size: 100 to 120 centimetres, plus a tail measuring 30–40 centimetres
Weight: 25–55 kilograms
Lifespan: approx. 12 years in the wild, up to 24 years in captivity
Diet: carrion, reptiles, birds, smaller mammals, as well as fruit and vegetables
Social structure: solitary, in pairs or in small family groups
Reproduction: one to four young per litter, with a gestation period of 90–91 days

Further facts about this rare species

Distribution: The range of the striped hyena extends from North and East Africa through the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula, into Iran and Pakistan, reaching India and southern Central Asia. It inhabits steppes, semi-deserts and savannah landscapes, and occasionally forests. It is also found in peripheral human areas and has been recorded at altitudes of up to 3,300 metres.

Until a few years ago it was still widespread in southern Central Asia. However, due to persecution the population has plummeted and in large parts of its former range has even disappeared entirely. In Tajikistan, the species was considered extinct for decades because no evidence of its presence was found, even in intensively studied protected areas such as Tigrovaya Balka, where until 1954 the – now globally extinct – Caspian tiger occurred.

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