Crushes Small Insects...or Large Bones

So what eats insects, but has the most powerful, bone-crushing bite force among mammals?


The hyena.


I once petted a hyena; and I put the experience in the same category as the first time I touched a dolphin...it was a shock.


Dolphin skin feels like a banana peel... like if you pressed your fingernail into it, a little crescent-shaped slice would appear.

Buster

But Buster, the Spotted hyena who wandered around like a mascot at Wildlife Waystation, had fur that was very harsh and coarse; almost like straightened steel wool.


And because there was no underfur, I could see the mottled skin showing through a bit.  Kind of like... thick bristles on a pig.

Buster was an affectionate guy, with a large head and lots of big teeth that he'd show in a sort of unsettling smile when you scratched his belly.  And he sometimes had that queer slinking gait that you see in certain German Shepherds. 


Spotted hyenas like Buster are the largest of the four types of hyena. And depending on their age or area they live in, their spots can look very different; check it out below:

Three of the four types of hyenas are called Bone Crusher hyenas:

• the Spotted hyena
• the Striped hyena
• the Brown hyena

(Don't you love the imaginative names for these guys?  Makes them easy to identify, I guess.)


Have you ever heard that hyenas are cowards? Before we go further, let's figure out where this idea comes from.

Spotted hyenas

• They kill their own food about 95% of the time...though they'll also grab whatever's lion around...ha ha 
• They laugh, cackle, and chirrup frequently
• They will viciously fight other predators when attacked

Striped & Brown hyenas

• They are poor hunters and love to scavenge
• They are relatively quiet, though they do cackle occasionally
• When attacked by a predator, they defend themselves by "playing dead" 

So....who are the cowards?  Right...let's take a look at these two.


Here is the Striped Hyena...kind of funky-looking when he's all upset, isn't he?

And the Brown hyena?  Well, his upset self is the first picture on this post, at the very top... I love it!  But he usually looks like this:

These guys may act "cowardly", but keep in mind that a Brown hyena pup can crack the leg bone of an antelope within hours of being born!  Most impressive.

Okay, so I'm dying to show you the teeth of this incredible, bone cracking creature.  Let's take a look at his choppers...as compared to a lion's:

Okay, those molars are fearsome-looking...and much larger proportionately than the lion's!  And look at the very front teeth...really, they look like like fangs.


But what about that whole Insect thing in the title of this post? Well, that's where the fourth hyena type comes in...the Dog-like hyena.


Better known as the Aardwolf (Dutch for earth wolf).

Yes he's a hyena, but he lives on insects...he can slurp up 200,000 termites in a single night with his long sticky tongue.  

But, don't get the aardwolf mixed up with the aardvark.  Though they both eat insects, there's a biiigg difference in classification!


So now you're up on hyenas...all four types.  If you want to read more, there's a woman doing a fascinating study on the Spotted hyena that you can check out here.


And, don't forget to read my post on the amazing Hyena Men of Africa, here.

Crushes Small Insects...or Large Bones

So what eats insects, but has the most powerful, bone-crushing bite force among mammals?


The hyena.


I once petted a hyena; and I put the experience in the same category as the first time I touched a dolphin...it was a shock.

Hyena Men of Africa

Now wouldn't it be a bit scary to come across a gang like this? 

I think so! Even though they have a muzzle on their....uh...hyenas.

Yes, those are Spotted hyenas; the most aggressive and the largest of the four different hyena types.

How large are they?  Check out the size difference between Hyena Man and Hyena:

That's a pretty big predator to have leaning up against you! 

Did you know that hyenas have the strongest bite force of any mammal?  They crush bones. A five-hour old hyena pup can crack the leg bone of an antelope.  Yikes.

So why do the Hyena Men of Nigeria even have hyenas? 

Though reported in an African newspaper that these guys were "bank robbers, body guards,...and debt-collectors", they are known to locals as Gadawan Kura...hyena handlers.

Hyena Men are really traveling performers who sell traditional herbs, potions and charms. 

They use their hyenas, baboons, and a few rock pythons to attract and entertain crowds. The baboons do somersaults and dance to the beat of drums; the hyenas mesmerize the onlookers.

The Hyena Men even sell charms to people who want to pet the animals without fear.  A self-generating business!

Hyena Men claim they can also capture wild animals for others.  How?  They track the animal, stun it with smoke mixed with certain herbs, give it charms to make it tame, and bring it back to the customer.  

These guys don't mess around...they're tough.  

And smart.  Business is booming... and booming well enough for these Hyena Men to establish for themselves yam, maize, and cassava farms; an impressive retirement plan for wandering minstrels.

And think of the stories they'll have to tell!

Hyena Men of Africa

Now wouldn't it be a bit scary to come across a gang like this? 

I think so! Even though they have a muzzle on their....uh...hyenas.

Love's Doves...that will shock and awe

Oriental Turtle Dove making a heart with its wings

Awww... doves are so Valentines, aren't they?  Soft, pure symbols of love.  


And who hasn't seen the sweet turtle doves nestling together cozily?


Doves.


Are another name for pigeons.


Which have been characterized as "rats with wings".


So why do "doves = love"


but "pigeons = pests"?




Well, it's funny, because the smaller members of this bird family tend to be named "doves", while the larger ones are called "pigeons".  So there are only small differences between the two.

Here in the U.S, we commonly see the Mourning dove and maybe a domestic white dove or two. 

Interesting...but not thrilling. 


But in other parts of the world, doves are a knock-out!  


Did you know that fruit doves are considered some of the most colorful birds on earth?


But let's start out with the Shock part in the title of my post:

This dove looks, well, like it's been shot!  But this is an actual type of dove, called the Bleeding Heart dove, found in the Philippines.  What an appropriate name...


(And hopefully this bird is not symbolic of how your Valentine's Day is progressing.)


And now for the Awe part!  You gotta see these doves to believe them...

The Coronetted dove practically glows with color.

Doves...they're not just "white" anymore.  I could go on and on; there are so many more gorgeous doves in the world.


And the "rats with wings"?  Heh, I might be prejudiced against them; at one time their nesting habits caused me some serious roof repairs.  


Not that I'm bitter  :)


But here we go, the very widespread Feral Rock pigeon (or Rock dove): 

Have a Dovey Valentines Day!

There are many more doves and pigeons to discover, some of which you can see here

Love's Doves...that will shock and awe

Oriental Turtle Dove making a heart with its wings

Awww... doves are so Valentines, aren't they?  Soft, pure symbols of love.  


And who hasn't seen the sweet turtle doves nestling together cozily?


Doves.


Are another name for pigeons.


Which have been characterized as "rats with wings".


So why do "doves = love"


but "pigeons = pests"?

Does This Fur Make Me Look Fat?

The answer is... um... yeah.  You look fat, kitty.  


But that's not your fault.  You have the heaviest coat of any cat, because...






...you live in some of the coldest places on earth; Mongolia and Siberia.  Brrrrr.


In Mongolia last winter, temperatures fell to -57 degrees F, killing millions of livestock animals.


But the cold didn't kill Pallas' cat.

Photo credit: Terry Whittaker

Though the size of a house cat, this cat is made for winter.  It's stocky, small-eared, and fuzzy.  And its tail is thick enough to be a muff, sheltering its face from the icy blasts.

So what does the Pallas' cat find to eat out in those snowy wastelands?

But it's a bit strange-looking.   I mean, check out this picture... there's a little bit of monkey in that face, don't you think?

Can you pinpoint why it doesn't look quite like a cat?

Let's compare face to face: 

• The ears are small, roundish, and way low on its head
• And check out the eyes...the Pallas' cat's pupils are round, not slits like in a regular cat.  
• And where's that cute little line that goes from the nose down to the mouth?  

Want to see Pallas' cats in action?

They don't make good pets...think of the vacuuming!  But check out exotic cats that do make good pets here.