Hyenas In Afghanistan: Unlikely Survivors In A War-Torn Land

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in South and Central Asia, with a diverse landscape of dry deserts and tall mountains. The country is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including hyenas.

Striped hyenas (Hyaena hyaena) are the only current Asian representative of the mammalian family Hyaenidae. They are medium-sized carnivores with long legs, a relatively large head, and forequarters heavier than the hindquarters. Their pelage is long and grayish-white to yellowish-brown, with black cross-stripes. They are found in rocky scrublands, savannas, and semideserts, preferring habitats with water sources within 6 miles.

Striped hyenas are nocturnal, omnivorous, and highly adaptable. They are known for their ability to crack large bones to extract marrow and are often scavengers, feeding on the kills of larger carnivores or carcasses of animals that died of natural causes. They also catch and kill small animals and feed on insects.

The global population of striped hyenas is currently below 10,000 mature individuals and is expected to decline further. They are listed as near threatened and face various threats, including vehicular traffic, wanton shooting, and secondary poisoning from feeding at refuse dumps contaminated by industrial chemicals.

Hyenas are native to Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in South and Central Asia, with a diverse landscape of dry deserts and tall mountains. The country is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including hyenas.

In Afghanistan, striped hyenas can be found in the rocky scrublands, savannas, and semi-deserts of the country. They prefer habitats with water sources within a few miles and avoid true deserts. They are nocturnal, with peaks of activity in the early hours of darkness and the dark hours before dawn. They are omnivorous but are best known for their ability to crack large bones to extract the marrow. They also feed on small animals, insects, and agricultural produce, and are known to scavenge for food.

Striped hyenas are shy and rarely bite even when attacked. They are often persecuted and face threats such as vehicular traffic and poisoning, in addition to a declining prey base. Their global population is estimated to be less than 10,000, and this number is expected to decrease by 10% over the next three generations.

Hyenas are an integral part of Afghanistan's diverse wildlife, and their presence adds to the country's natural landscape and ecosystem.

They are medium-sized carnivores

Afghanistan is home to the striped hyena, a medium-sized carnivore. Hyenas are neither members of the dog nor the cat family but are unique, with their own family: Hyaenidae. They are behaviourally and morphologically similar to canids due to convergent evolution.

Striped hyenas are the only extant species in the genus Hyaena. They are listed as near-threatened, with a worldwide population of fewer than 10,000 mature individuals, which continues to decline. These species are expected to decrease by 10% over the next three generations.

Striped hyenas are endemic to North and East Africa, the Caucasus, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and Central Asia. They are found in savannas, semi-deserts, and rocky scrublands. They prefer habitats with water sources within 6 miles and avoid true deserts. They can survive in habitats where many large predators struggle to thrive.

Striped hyenas are omnivorous but are best known as scavengers, feeding on the kills of larger carnivores or the carcasses of animals that died of natural causes. They are able to catch, kill, and eat small animals, such as tortoises, hedgehogs, and hares. They also feed on insects and are known to attack and kill or injure larger animals, particularly young domestic stock. They are also fond of agricultural produce, including dates, melons, and other fruits, and may cause damage to crops and flocks.

Striped hyenas are nocturnal, with two peaks of activity: in the early hours of darkness and in the dark hours before dawn. They are shy in their contacts with humans and rarely bite, even when attacked. They are also known to be timid around humans.

Striped hyenas are the only current Asian representative of the mammalian family Hyaenidae. They have a relatively large head, with forequarters heavier than the hindquarters, and long legs, with four digits on each foot. They weigh about 35-45 kg, with a long, grey-white to yellowish-brown pelage on the sides, legs, and back, and black cross-stripes. Their stiff, black mane on the neck and back erects when they are angry or afraid, making them look larger and more formidable.

Striped hyenas are one of the few mammals other than bats known to survive infection with rabies virus. They have shown little or no disease-induced mortality during outbreaks in sympatric carnivores, partly due to the high concentration of antibodies in their saliva.

They are shy around humans

Hyenas are generally shy and tend to avoid people. They are known to be dangerous and powerful predators, but they are not considered as dangerous as other big cats, such as lions or tigers. They are more likely to scavenge for food than actively hunt it out.

Hyenas are large, powerful animals with a stocky build and a distinctive sloping back. They have large heads, powerful jaws, and long legs for running. Their ears are rounded, and their tails are short. They are known for their loud whooping calls and eerie laughter.

Hyenas are formidable predators that hunt alone or in packs. They have powerful jaws and sharp teeth, making them especially dangerous to their prey, such as antelopes, wildebeest, zebras, and smaller animals like mice. In addition to hunting live prey, they also scavenge for food and will eat carrion, sometimes even taking food away from other scavengers.

Despite their formidable appearance and hunting abilities, hyenas are typically shy and will avoid contact with people. They rarely attack adult humans unless provoked and usually prefer to scavenge from already dead animals rather than hunt live prey. However, young children should be kept away from hyenas, as the animals may view them as potential prey.

Hyenas are known to be cautious and fearful of humans. They have a high flight distance and will usually run away if they see people. They are also known to be fearful of vehicles and will avoid areas with a lot of vehicle movement.

Hyenas are not considered dangerous to humans unless they feel threatened or provoked. However, it is important to remember that they are wild animals and may act unpredictably. It is best to keep your distance and avoid interacting with them.

They are threatened by human activity

Afghanistan is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including the striped hyena. This species is native to North and East Africa, the Middle East, the Caucasus, the Indian subcontinent, and Central Asia. While hyenas are not a fan-favourite, they are highly intelligent and play an important role in maintaining a clean environment.

Unfortunately, human activities pose a significant threat to hyenas. Here are four to six paragraphs detailing how human actions endanger these creatures:

Habitat Loss and Encroachment: Hyenas are losing their natural habitats due to human population expansion, agriculture, settlements, and road construction. This loss of space restricts their ability to roam freely and find prey, pushing them closer to human settlements.

Human-Wildlife Conflict: Hyenas often come into conflict with humans when they prey on livestock, leading to retaliatory killings by farmers. This conflict reduces the willingness of communities to coexist with hyenas, making the animals targets for persecution and poisoning.

Persecution and Negative Attitudes: Negative attitudes and beliefs about hyenas are prevalent in some regions, with the animals being associated with witchcraft and the supernatural. This negative perception leads to indiscriminate shooting, spearing, trapping, and hunting of hyenas, further endangering their populations.

Poaching and Trade: Hyenas are also threatened by poaching for their skins and body parts, which are used in traditional medicine and the black market. Their glands, for instance, are believed to fetch up to $45,000 on the black market.

Vehicle Traffic: With the increase in urbanisation and road networks, hyenas face a higher risk of being hit by vehicles. As scavengers, they are attracted to roadkill, putting them in harm's way.

Secondary Poisoning: Hyenas are at risk of secondary poisoning from consuming contaminated refuse dumps, where industrial chemicals can be deadly.

While some of these threats are more prevalent in other parts of the hyena's range, they all contribute to the overall decline of the species. Conservation efforts and changing human perceptions are crucial for ensuring the long-term survival of hyenas in Afghanistan and beyond.

They are known to scavenge for food

Hyenas are known to scavenge for food, and this behaviour has led to their negative reputation as "bullies of the African plains". They are often depicted stealing kills from lions and other predators, but this is a misconception that stems from their portrayal in popular culture, such as Disney's *The Lion King*. In reality, hyenas are excellent hunters and scavengers, consuming food from both their own hunting efforts and the kills of other carnivores.

Hyenas are highly adaptable and opportunistic, capable of consuming almost any organic matter, including putrid carrion and anthrax-infected carcasses. They have strong stomach acid and powerful jaws that can splinter and digest large bones, ensuring they don't waste any food. They can run up to 40-50 km/h over several kilometres, making them formidable hunters.

In Ethiopia, hyenas are known to scavenge butcher scraps and human garbage during the Lent period when Christians fast and give up meat and dairy. They will also hunt donkeys during this time to supplement their diet.

In Harar, Ethiopia, villagers protect their livestock by feeding hyenas meat scraps, thereby keeping them full and reducing the need to hunt other food sources. This practice has developed into a religious festival involving the feeding of hyenas from bowls.

In Afghanistan, hyenas are found in rocky scrublands, savannas, and semi-deserts. They are listed as “near threatened”, with a worldwide population of less than 10,000 mature individuals, which continues to decline.

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