Hyaena hyaena
Silhouette: Donovan Reginald Rosevear (vectorized by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
The striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) is a species of hyena native to North and East Africa, the Middle East, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. It is the only extant species in the genus Hyaena. It is listed on the IUCN Red List as near-threatened, as the global population is estimated to be under 10,000 mature individuals which continues to experience deliberate and incidental persecution along with a decrease in its prey base such that it may come close to meeting a continuing decline of 10% over the next three generations.
It is the smallest of the bone-cracking hyenas and retains many primitive viverrid-like characteristics lost in larger species, having a smaller and less specialised skull. Though primarily a scavenger, large specimens have been known to kill their own prey, and attacks on humans have occurred in rare instances. The striped hyena is a monogamous animal, with both males and females assisting one another in raising their cubs. A nocturnal animal, the striped hyena typically only emerges in complete darkness, and is quick to return to its lair before sunrise. Although it has a habit of feigning death when attacked, it has been known to stand its ground against larger predators in disputes over food.
The striped hyena features prominently in Middle Eastern and Asian folklore. In some areas, its body parts are considered magical, and are used as charms or talismans. It is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, where it is referred to as tzebua or zevoa, though it is absent in some Bible translations into English. Ancient Greeks knew it as γλάνος (glános) and ύαινα (húaina) and were familiar with it from the Aegean coast of Asia Minor. The striped hyena is the national animal of Lebanon. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ranthambore National Park | 🇮🇳 India |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Striped Hyena sighting in Ranthambore National Park on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 17th most-seen of the 17 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July and October
In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Striped Hyena in Ranthambore National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April–May, August–September and November–February, the lowest months. Those are among Ranthambore National Park's wettest months, with about 130 mm of rain a month against 5 mm in February.
Between 6 and 9 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Striped Hyena sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Only Ranthambore National Park, in our data
Ranthambore National Park is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Striped Hyena sightings: about 20% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Same order: Carnivora
The closest relatives of the Striped Hyena that you can see in Ranthambore National Park (order Carnivora, Carnivorans) are Tiger (about 80%), Ruddy Mongoose (about 60%) and Sloth Bear (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Striped Hyena is recorded against all the mammals logged in Ranthambore National Park (5 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
