About the Book
Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 224. Chapters: Spotted hyena, Beluga whale, Killer whale, Sperm whale, Sea otter, Ring-tailed lemur, Giraffe, Moose, Red panda, Short-beaked echidna, Sumatran rhinoceros, Platypus, Giant otter, Humpback whale, Fossa (animal), Dugong, Reindeer, Cheetah, Walrus, Gray whale, Baiji, Giant anteater, Wolverine, Snow leopard, Sloth bear, White rhinoceros, Pygmy hippopotamus, Pseudoryzomys, Lundomys, Lycaon pictus, Honey badger, African buffalo, Narwhal, Black rhinoceros, American badger, Bowhead whale, Bharattherium, Greater glider, Siamang, Pronghorn. Excerpt: The spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), also known as the laughing hyena or tiger wolf, is a species of hyena native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN on account of its widespread range and large numbers estimated between 27,000 and 47,000 individuals. The species is however experiencing declines outside of protected areas due to habitat loss and poaching. The species may have originated in Asia, and once ranged throughout Europe for at least one million years until the end of the Late Pleistocene. The spotted hyena is the largest member of the Hyaenidae, and is further physically distinguished from other species by its vaguely bear-like build, its rounded ears, its less prominent mane, its spotted pelt, its more dual purposed dentition, its fewer nipples and the presence of a pseudo-penis in the female. It is the only mammalian species to lack an external vaginal opening. The spotted hyena is the most social of the Carnivora in that it has the largest group sizes and most complex social behaviours. Its social organisation is unlike that of any other Carnivore, bearing closer resemblance to that of cercopithecine primates (baboons and macaques) with respect to group-size, hierarchical structure, and frequency of social interaction among both kin and unrelated group-mates. However, the social system of the spotted hyena is openly competitive rather than cooperative, with access to kills, mating opportunities and the time of dispersal for males depending on the ability to dominate other clan-members. Females provide only for their own cubs rather than assist each other, and males display no paternal care. Spotted hyena society is matriarchal; females are larger than males, and dominate them. The spotted hyena is a highly successful animal, being the most common large carnivore in Africa. Its success is due in part to its adaptability and opportunism; it is both an efficient hunter and a scavenger, with the capacity to eat and digest skin, b
