Lion and hyena legged in the road.

1) Lions live in a group which is called as "pride"; 10 to 40 lions live in a pride.Show more

2) In the group there are only 1 to 2 adult lions and others are lioness and their cubs.

3) Lions are very protective to themselves, their cubs and their area where they live.

4) Lions fight with other animals in order to protect their food as well as their group.

5) Male lions generally stay with their group and female lions do the hunting.

6) Approximately there are 10 sub-species of lions found in different parts of the world.

7) "South African Lion" or "Transvaal Lion" is considered as the largest sub-species of lions.

8) There are approximately 20000 to 39000 lions left in the world with 650 lions living in India.

9) Excessive hunting of lions has reduced their population worldwide which is posing a threat to ecosystem.

10) Lions are also kept in zoo for entertainment and recreation of the

people.

Hyenas, or hyaenas (from Ancient Greek ὕαινα, hýaina),are feliform carnivoran mammals of the family Hyaenidae /haɪˈɛnɪdiː/. With only four extant species (each in its own genus), it is the fifth-smallest biological family in the Carnivora and one of the smallest in the class Mammalia. Despite their low diversity, hyenas are unique and vital components of most African ecosystems.

Hyenas

Temporal range: 22–0 Ma 

PreꞒ

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Early Miocene – recent

The four living species of hyena, clockwise from upper left: spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), brown hyena (Parahyaena brunnea), aardwolf (Proteles cristata) and striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena)Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaInfraorder:ViverroideaFamily:Hyaenidae
Gray, 1821Type genusHyaena

Brisson, 1762

Genera

Crocuta (olive overlay on map)

Hyaena (blue on map, includes Parahyaena)

Parahyaena

Proteles (magenta red on map)

Adcrocuta†

Allohyaena†

Belbus†

Chasmaporthetes†

Herpestides†

Hyaenictis†

Hyaenotherium†

Ictitherium†

Ikelohyaena†

Leecyaena†

Lycyaena†

Metahyaena†

Miohyaenotherium†

Palinhyaena†

Pachycrocuta†

Pliocrocuta†

Plioviverrops†

Protictitherium†

Thalassictis†

Tongxinictis†

Tungurictis†

Werdelinus†

Synonyms

Protelidae Flower, 1869

Aardwolf, smallest member of the Hyena family, skeleton. (Museum of Osteology)

Although phylogenetically closer to felines and viverrids, as part of suborder Feliformia, hyenas are behaviourally and morphologically similar to canids in several elements due to convergent evolution; both hyenas and canines are non-arboreal, cursorial hunters that catch prey with their teeth rather than claws. Both eat food quickly and may store it, and their calloused feet with large, blunt, nonretractable claws are adapted for running and making sharp turns. However, hyenas' grooming, scent marking, defecation habits, mating and parental behavior are consistent with the behavior of other feliforms.

Hyenas feature prominently in the folklore and mythology of human cultures that live alongside them. Hyenas are commonly viewed as frightening and worthy of contempt. In some cultures, hyenas are thought to influence people's spirits, rob graves, and steal livestock and children. Other cultures associate them with witchcraft, using their body parts in traditional African medicine.