There are many types of hyenas and a couple of hands full of wild dogs. But today we’re focusing on the most prominent of the lot: the sly spotted hyena vs. the ruthless African wild dog. Do they have the same mannerisms, and do they fight for the same dinner? Let’s find out!
Overview
The African wild dog and spotted hyena belong to two different families, namely the Canidae and Hyaenidae families. However, both of them belong to the order Carnivora. This order includes wolves (like the gray wolf, timberwolf, and maned wolf), coyotes, foxes, jackals, Carolina dogs, etc. It also includes some animals of the Australian Outback, like the dingo, which is another type of wild dog.
There are 35 species of wild dogs, including the African wild dog, coyote, dingo, side-striped jackal, red fox, culpeo, dhole, maned wolf, and Ethiopian wolf.
In contrast to this, there are only 4 species of hyena. There’s the brown hyena, only found in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, and South Africa. The aardwolf, also found in those areas, in addition to the Horn of Africa, which includes Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya. Then, there’s the striped hyena, an animal that lurks in India, north of the Sahara desert along the Mediterranean, and on the Horn of Africa. And last but not least, our chosen hyena of the day, the spotted hyena. They live in the Sahara Desert and in southern South Africa.
Physical Appearance
Spotted hyena: Their heads are larger, their build more robust, and their ears smaller and more pointed. They have many spots on their brown fur, but they’re not nearly as colorful as African wild dogs.
African wild dog: They’re also known as painted dogs or painted wolves and the reason is pretty obvious. In contrast to the spotted hyena, the African wild dog has a smaller head, larger rounder ears, and a leaner body. Their fur is marked with blotches of color, which makes them look painted.
Size
Spotted hyena: They’re the largest of the two wild animals. They can reach a height of up to 3 ft. at the shoulders, 5 ft. in length, and 190 lbs. in weight. Plus, their tails can also be as long as 14 inches.
African wild dog: They’re definitely smaller, with a maximum height of 2.5 ft. at the shoulders, 3.5 ft. in length, and 70 lbs. in weight. The only thing that sets them apart is their tails, which can be as long as 16 inches.
Behavior
Spotted hyena: They’re very opportunistic and aggressive. Thanks to this, they’re not very social because they scavenge and steal kills. You may know what their distinct call sounds like. It resembles the evil laughs you typically hear in Disney movies.
African wild dog: They’re much more social and generally pack-hunting animals. They form strong bonds in their group and work as teams to meet their prey quota. Wild dogs make more sounds to communicate, like yelps and whines.
Habitat
Spotted hyena: They live south of the Sahara Desert in Africa, where they prefer to stay in savannas, semi-arid scrubs, and open plains. They don’t care about privacy all that much, so they can easily live in or near urban areas.
African wild dog: Unlike spotted hyenas, they’re limited to specific habitats. They live in open savannas, grasslands, and even woodlands. They’re very sensitive to habitat fragmentation and they need a lot of space to hunt. You won’t find them roaming around human settlements unless they were taken there.
Diet
Spotted hyena: They’re very skilled hunters, which is why they’re able to take down large prey, like antelope and even wildebeest. However, they’re also not picky, So they’ll even scavenge on the remains of other apex predators. They eat anything from birds and lizards to porcupines and rabbits. They’re also not primarily carnivorous, so they don’t say no to vegetable matter, animal droppings (yuck!), and bones.
African wild dog: They love eating their prey alive and they don’t even come up for air during a meal. It’s just a matter of gulping everything down as quickly as possible. They eat many different animals, but they sometimes struggle to find meals because of lions and hyenas.
Conservation Status
Spotted hyena: They face threats like hunting and deforestation, but the population is still safe. They’re listed as least concern, so even though numbers are declining in some areas, we don’t have to worry about them going extinct soon.
African wild dog: They’re one of the lesser known animals that need conservation, but that doesn’t change the facts. The IUCN listed them as endangered, and they’re considered one of the top 5 endangered animals of Africa. They’re facing threats like conflict with humans, habitat loss, and diseases, which has completely wiped out the population in North and West Africa.
Other Differences
Lifespan: Spotted hyenas live between 20 (wild) and 40 (captivity) years. African wild dogs live up to 11 years in the wild, which gives them a much shorter lifespan.
Gestation period: Spotted hyenas are pregnant for 110 days, while African wild dogs have it much easier at 69 to 73 days.
Breeding: Spotted hyenas breed at any time of the year and they usually have between 1 and 3 cubs per litter. African wild dogs have a specific season, which is between April and September, and a litter consists of 10 to 19 pups.
Similarities
Speed: Spotted hyenas can run up to 37 mph. African wild dogs are slightly faster, clocking in at 45 mph. While there may be a difference in their maximum speed, they’re both equally good at maintaining their speed over long distances.
Territory: Both animals live in savannas and grasslands in Africa, so they have to share the same territory.
Diet: Unfortunately, spotted hyenas and African wild dogs are competitors in the food world. They have to compete for meals.
