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Hi Twitter!
I'm Raha.
I was alpha female of the Lemala clan for 12yrs. Now my daughter Timba has taken over.
@HyenaProject asked me to help compile some cool facts about my species.
I thought this was a good idea.
I did a thread in 4 chapters. Enjoy!
#hyenafacts
#scicomm
I'm Raha.
I was alpha female of the Lemala clan for 12yrs. Now my daughter Timba has taken over.
@HyenaProject asked me to help compile some cool facts about my species.
I thought this was a good idea.
I did a thread in 4 chapters. Enjoy!
#hyenafacts
#scicomm
Our external genitals look like those of males!
Our outer labiae are fused + filled with tissue to form a 'pseudoscrotum' and our pseudopenis looks like a male penis when erected.
Luckily, @HyenaProject created a cool manual to sex us. 👇
#hyena #hyène
twitter.com/i/moments/8712…
Our outer labiae are fused + filled with tissue to form a 'pseudoscrotum' and our pseudopenis looks like a male penis when erected.
Luckily, @HyenaProject created a cool manual to sex us. 👇
#hyena #hyène
twitter.com/i/moments/8712…
To learn how to identify the sex of spotted #hyenas, @HyenaProject also created a fun Twitter game: #FemaleOrMale
Why don't you try next time 😉.
Note: we #hyenas are NOT hermaphrodites + we do NOT change sex.
#hyenafacts
Why don't you try next time 😉.
Note: we #hyenas are NOT hermaphrodites + we do NOT change sex.
#hyenafacts
We are great mothers!
We give birth to 1 or 2 cubs only (very rarely 3) after a gestation period of 110 days and nurse them for up to 2 years.
#bestmum
We give birth to 1 or 2 cubs only (very rarely 3) after a gestation period of 110 days and nurse them for up to 2 years.
#bestmum
We prepare our cubs for a tough life!
We give our fetuses a testosterone boost at the end of gestation.
This and the long gestation make our babies the most precocial of all carnivores: they are born with erupted teeth + open eyes - and they are mobile from day 1.
#ReadyForLife
We give our fetuses a testosterone boost at the end of gestation.
This and the long gestation make our babies the most precocial of all carnivores: they are born with erupted teeth + open eyes - and they are mobile from day 1.
#ReadyForLife
We produce the ultimate superfood!
Our milk is among the richest of all land-living mammals; its energy content is only topped by that of milk of #bear mothers.
#hyenas #Hyänen
#carnivores
Our milk is among the richest of all land-living mammals; its energy content is only topped by that of milk of #bear mothers.
#hyenas #Hyänen
#carnivores
Our cubs grow FAST!
Weighing 1.5kg at birth, cubs grow at a rate of up to 100g per day during the first year of life.
My cubs and those of other top-ranking mums weigh 40kg on their first birthday. 😮
#superfood #supermum
Weighing 1.5kg at birth, cubs grow at a rate of up to 100g per day during the first year of life.
My cubs and those of other top-ranking mums weigh 40kg on their first birthday. 😮
#superfood #supermum
We love our cubs!
We give birth in a birth den separate from the communal den and only carry them to the communal den once we recoginise each other well (when the cubs are about 2 weeks old).
We usually only nurse our own cubs but sometimes do adopt one.
#bestbuddies
We give birth in a birth den separate from the communal den and only carry them to the communal den once we recoginise each other well (when the cubs are about 2 weeks old).
We usually only nurse our own cubs but sometimes do adopt one.
#bestbuddies
We are as big + strong as males!
We and our male buddies are very similar in size. Scientists measured many of us and found only tiny differences: we are <1% taller and <3% longer.
Even the most experienced observers can't tell us apart based on size. 😋
#genderequality
We and our male buddies are very similar in size. Scientists measured many of us and found only tiny differences: we are <1% taller and <3% longer.
Even the most experienced observers can't tell us apart based on size. 😋
#genderequality
We are ferocious hunters but we are NOT hyperaggressive!
We have testosterone levels similar to those of females in other #mammals (incl humans) and lower than those of male hyenas, and we are NOT more aggressive than male #hyenas.
#hyenafacts #scicomm
We have testosterone levels similar to those of females in other #mammals (incl humans) and lower than those of male hyenas, and we are NOT more aggressive than male #hyenas.
#hyenafacts #scicomm
We like to spice up our love life!
We rarely pick the same dude for different litters.
And when in estrous, we often have sex with several males. 🥰
As a result, up to 1/3 of our twins have different fathers. 😮
#lovelife
We rarely pick the same dude for different litters.
And when in estrous, we often have sex with several males. 🥰
As a result, up to 1/3 of our twins have different fathers. 😮
#lovelife
