Hyaena (Hyaena Hyaena) belongs to the Carnivora Order and Hyaenidae Family. The mammal is native to India, Southeast of Asia and North Africa in the world. It is found in Bardia National Park, Shukla Phanta National Park, Chitwan National Park, Koshi tappu Wildlife Reserve and other churia and terai regions of Nepal. The lifespan of hyaena is 24 years. Its weight is 38.5 kg. The height of hyena is 0.75 m and length 1 to 1.5 m. The hyaena looks like a dog with dirty-brownish grey or dirty grey colour and black stripes in the body and legs. The front legs of hyaena are longer than that of back ones. The gestation period of hyena is 88 to 92 days. It is listed as a lower risk/least concerned species in the IUCN Red List category. National red list of mammals categorizes it as an endangered species. The legal status of this species in Nepal is Protected (Appendix I) under the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1973. It is protected because of its heavy habitat loss. It is traded in national and international markets due to its fur.
Reference
