The spotted hyena has a long history of interaction with humanity; depictions of the species exist from the Upper Paleolithic period, with carvings and paintings from the Lascaux and Chauvet Caves.[1] The species has a largely negative reputation in both Western culture and African folklore. In the former, the species is mostly regarded as ugly and cowardly, while in the latter, it is viewed as greedy, gluttonous, stupid, and foolish, yet powerful and potentially dangerous. The majority of Western perceptions on the species can be found in the writings of Aristotle and Pliny the Elder, though in relatively unjudgmental form. Explicit, negative judgments occur in the Physiologus, where the animal is depicted as a hermaphrodite and grave-robber.[2] The IUCN's hyena specialist group identifies the spotted hyena's negative reputation as detrimental to the species' continued survival, both in captivity and the wild.[2][3]
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^ abCite error: The named reference glickman was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Mills & Hofer 1998, p. 92 & 101
and 30 Related for: Cultural depictions of spotted hyenas information
The spottedhyena has a long history of interaction with humanity; depictionsof the species exist from the Upper Paleolithic period, with carvings and...
or not spottedhyenas are the specific hyena species featured in such stories, particularly in West Africa, as both spotted and striped hyenas are often...
whether spottedhyenas are the specific hyena species featured in such stories, particularly in West Africa, as both spotted and striped hyenas are often...
Africa only after the extirpation ofspottedhyenas from Asia at the end of the last glacial period. The striped hyena occurred for some time in Europe...
leopards frequently lose kills to brown hyenas, if they are unable to move the kill up a tree. Single brown hyenas have been observed charging at and displacing...
The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a medium-sized spotted wild cat that reaches 40–50 cm (15.7–19.7 in) at the shoulders and weighs between 7 and 15.5 kg...
rarely been observed scavenging kills; this may be due to vultures and spottedhyena adroitly capturing and consuming heavy carcasses within a short time...
cooperative hunting to exhaust them. Its natural competitors are lions and spottedhyenas: the former will kill the dogs where possible whilst the latter are...
the world since the late 18th century. Culturaldepictionsof lions were prominent in Ancient Egypt, and depictions have occurred in virtually all ancient...
Marathi; mungisa in Telugu; mungi, mungisi and munguli in Kannada. The form of the English name (since 1698) was altered to its "-goose" ending by folk etymology...
(1992). Humans are apparently exempt. Mammals of the Soviet Union. Volume II Part 2 Carnivora: Hyenas and Cats. New Delhi: Amerind Publishing, p. 625...
including mò (貘, ancient Chinese name for giant panda), huāxióng (花熊; "spotted bear") and zhúxióng (竹熊; "bamboo bear"). The most popular names in China...
flowers of woody plants, primarily acacia species, which they browse at heights most other herbivores cannot reach. Lions, leopards, spottedhyenas, and...
carnivores, especially the spottedhyena. Wildebeest often graze in mixed herds with zebra, which gives heightened awareness of potential predators. They...
Transformation of field and pastureland represents the main threat to the hamadryas baboon; its only natural predators are the striped hyena, spottedhyena, and...
otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic, or marine. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which includes weasels, badgers, mink, and wolverines...
preyed on mainly by lions. Leopards, cheetahs, spottedhyenas, brown hyenas and wild dogs pose less of a threat to adults. Biting and kicking are a zebra's...
Bedtime for Frances (1948–1970), is depicted as a badger. Trufflehunter is a heroic badger in the Chronicles of Narnia book Prince Caspian (1951) by...
represented purity. Similarly, Mary Magdalene was depicted as wearing a white stoat pelt as a sign of her reformed character. One popular European legend...
appears in literature has always been depicted as a strange, even supernatural animal. The earliest appearance of the bake-danuki in literature, in the...
maneki neko cat is a symbol of good fortune. In Norse mythology, Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn...
survives the fall, but the hyenas, who overheard him betraying them, attack and maul him to death. With Scar and the hyenas gone, Simba takes his place...
the fur is used for local cultural ceremonies. At weddings, the bridegroom traditionally carries the hide. Hats made of red panda tails are also used...
adaptability. After the European colonization of the Americas, Anglo-American depictionsof Coyote are of a cowardly and untrustworthy animal. Unlike the...
retaliated against the sloth bears. The absence of retaliation in many locations of India appears related to cultural norms and the dominant religion Hinduism...
Hippos coexist alongside a variety of large predators in their habitats. Nile crocodiles, lions, and spottedhyenas are known to prey on young hippos....
clothing, but also used the tails for ornament. The famous Sioux leader Spotted Tail took his name from a raccoon skin hat with the tail attached he acquired...
and little monks. In the collection ofdepictions, the Gazu Hyakki Yagyō by Sekien Toriyama, they were depicted under the title 鼬, but they were read...
over carcasses. Striped hyenas feed extensively on wolf-killed carcasses in areas where the two species interact. One-to-one, hyenas dominate wolves, and...
predators include cougars, brown hyenas and various species of canids, which mostly target the young. Pinnipeds lessen the chance of predation by gathering in...