Striped hyena

Striped hyena

The shy scavenger

צבוע מפוספסHyaena hyaena

The striped hyena has a grey coat with dark stripes and a long, bristly mane. It lives in hills and deserts, rests in caves or dens by day, and hunts or scavenges at night. It feeds mostly on carrion, bones, and fruit, and it avoids contact with people. Because it is nocturnal and secretive, few visitors see one, though it is not especially rare. The Bible mentions a place called the Valley of Zeboim, from a Hebrew word that is often linked to the hyena.

Glossary: Striped hyena