Endangered striped hyena sighted in Adilabad

The hyena was detected in the urban forest park in Mavala mandal with the CCTV camera recording its movement on January 28. The hyena was classified as near threatened on the IUCN Red List

Adilabad: Movement of a striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena), classified as ‘near threatened’ was recorded on a solar-power based CCTV camera installed in an urban forest park in Mavala mandal centre recently, cheering forest officials and environmentalists.

Adilabad Forest Range Officer Gulab Singh said that an adult striped hyena was detected in the urban park with the CCTV camera recording its movement on January 28. The hyena was classified as near threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The discovery is a welcoming sign reflecting the rich wildlife biodiversity endowed by this region, he remarked.

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According to zoologists, striped hyenas have a broad head with dark eyes, a thick muzzle, and large, pointed ears. Their muzzle, ears, and throat are entirely black, but their coat may be golden yellow, brown, or gray with black stripes on the body and legs. Their front legs are much longer than the hind legs, giving a distinctive walk for the animal.

Forest officials said hyenas inhabit arid and semi-arid regions of north India and parts of Deccan plateau. They feed on mammalian flesh of wild boars and carcasses left by tigers and leopards. They also hunt small reptiles, insects, flying moths, sheep and goats. They leave a special scent to mark their territory.

Environmentalists, however, regretted that the population of the striped hyenas was declining due to habitat loss and man-animal conflict. They urged the officials to take steps to protect the wild animal.