Hyena Howl

This is a male spotted hyena at the San Diego zoo howling. Hyenas don't point their heads up when they howl, they point it down. (Howling to the earth instead of howling to the moon)... the howling doesn't start right away... and I even caught him marking his territory earlier in the video...

He wasn't doing a typical hyena howl as his was a bit more distressed, because he was separated from his brother for the evening, but don't worry, the next day he was back to normal. He is the lower ranking male who was calling for the other hyena (brother).

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• hyena
• spotted hyena
• laughing hyena
• zoo
• san diego zoo
• howl
• howling
• hyena howl
• call

[5silverfox]

he is calling to his brother... I have heard them growl... and this was more of a distress call (he wasn't happy...) his brother was temporarily off display...

[MKMurmur]

For those who just want to hear the howling, skip to 0:53

[hopey4100]

Is that the only hyena there? I think it's lonely. :(

[Indigobush]

@pien333 yes but there are other clues: his belly is slender especially near the back legs, we can see no tits, and he's marking the territory with his anal gland, and this activity, even though hyenas are matriarchal, is performed by males

[FireboltAce]

If you want to hear something interesting hyena's aren't actually dogs they are part of the suborder Feliformia which is part of the cats so actually they are felines

[emilyaramanda]

i can not believe hyenas howl like that. Its shocking.

[pien333]

are you sure it is a male? since female hyenas also have a penis...

it is a very raw howl, it should sound more like 'whoop' but that probably is because it has been in distress for some time now, his voice starts to fade..

[HyaenusDominae]

This is one reason I think hyenas are awesome.

[mypccrap]

it's mofasa

[ScisMacGillicutty]

@5silverfox that's so sad. Is he back with his brother? And are they in a larger, more comfortable display? (NB: for those of us with filthy minds, he scent marks @ about 0:35. Unspectacular in the extreme, but I understand it's just a sop thrown to those of us with prurient interests.)

[sbach56]

@dogsleder I agree with you. I hate seeing animals caged. It breaks my heart. That's not why they were put on this earth.

[dogsleder]

The pacing, the circling, the despair. This is one of the saddest things I've seen/heard in a very long time.