#wildlife 411; information and reference

[cunning-matriarch]

Lions and hyenas are related as they are both part of the feliform family tree. though the closest relatives of hyenas are meerkats, civets, genets, foosa and mongoose.

[worldclassmenageriie-moving]

Jelani/Honey Badger fun facts

Honey badgers are part of the mustelid family, the same family as otters, ferrets, and skunks.

They are incredibly intelligent, one of the few non primates that use tools (this list includes spotted hyenas) and have been witnessed using teamwork to open enclosures and escape when in captivity. Stoffell, a rescue honey badger living at a rehabilitation center in south Africa is notorious for his escapes from his enclosures in his younger years much to the dismay of his caretakers and the staff.

Like skunks they possess anal glands with a noxious substance they use for defense and how humans use bee smokers. The stink neutralizes the bees, and allows the badgers to eat larvae and honey as they please.

They instinctually go after the testicles of male attackers, though scientists have no idea where this behaviour comes from or how they developed it. Due to this male lions who have encountered honey badgers in the past have been observed actively avoiding them

Their skin is incredibly tough but also loose, especially around the neck. If grabbed by the back or back of the neck they are able to turn around in their own skin and bite their attacker on the face.

They will openly steal meals from leopards, lone hyenas and lone lions. Meals from leopards will even be stolen out of trees.

If their young is threatened, mother honey badgers will attack and chase adult leopards

[cunning-matriarch]

Yes spotted hyenas will eat fruit and veg!!! They have also been documented to go after eggs and invertebrates

Kanzi the hyena gets a watermelon 🍉

[cunning-matriarch]

I absolutely love Spotties so some spotty fun facts!

They are incredible hunters! Scientists estimate that between 66-90% of what hyenas eat are their own kills; able to take down cape buffalo and even giraffe. A clan of Shenzi's size would have enough members to also take down wounded or ill elephants and rhinos. Lions are more likely to steal from hyenas than the other way around.

Hyenas are also considered one of the best mothers in the animal kingdom. They invest more energy in each little cub than any other terrestrial carnivore and nurse their cubs for up to 16 months.

Despite how theyre cast and even how theyre treated in TLK and TLG, hyenas are NOT stupid, they've even beaten out chimps in some intelligence tests! They've been witnessed breaking into cars, homes and even using tools to escape traps, and that they are able to count.

Females have both pseudo-penis and a pseudo-scrotum that makes them externally identical to males. Presentation of the genitalia is a submissive act so subordinate hyenas will lift their leg to present to those that are higher in the hierarchy than they are.

A whoop is specific for long range communication and can travel for miles, for hyenas its unique to each individual and is like a completely unique identifier to let eachother know who is where. A strange whoop being heard will draw the attention of the entire clan!

Unlike the claw mark territory marking thats shown in TLG, for spotties its all about smell. Not urine or feces either like most animals (ex. lions which use both) but a paste that comes from an anal gland called 'hyena butter' that is rubbed on surfaces and left as an olfactory territory marker.

[cunning-matriarch]

Every year when whelping season comes around, Shenzi probably has to arrange for wet nurses for orphaned cubs.

Birth for hyenas is hard, especially for first time mothers. There is a high rate of fatality for first time spotty mothers and aprox. 60% of cubs suffocate during birth due to the unique anatomy spotties have; ex mothers giving birth through their pseudo-phalluses.

[cunning-matriarch]

While TLG makes the jackals the same size as the young hyenas, adult hyenas regularly prey on and carry off adult black backed jackals and the larger african wolves.

So while only reirei and goigois young pups are on the menu for the teenagers, the parents themselves and their adult children are on the menu for Shenzi, Banzai and Ed should they care to go after them.

[cunning-matriarch]

Tag Dump

chibispeaks//ooc

buried bones;saved

dash commentary

dash chaos (crack)

wildlife 411; information and reference

bones and sinew;headcanons and references

beauty of the savannah;aesthetic

Musings - tbt

sink my teeth in; memes

faceless entrees; anons

---------

v;wonder and shadows

v;queen of the graveyard

v;scapegoat to a mad king v;scapegoat to a mad king//the drought

v;ashes to ashes dust to dust//TLG

v;ashes to ashes dust to dust//Post TLK

au!cub of a different coat;raising simba (mine to me) au!cub of a different coat;raising simba (exhiled prince)

---------------

future of the clan; cubs

man are they uuugly; lions

crocuta crocuta; real life

home and strength; ed and banzai

the bold; banzai

the brawn; ed

the queen herself; visage

traitorous usurper; scar

little stooge; zazu

broken connections; cheezi

[worldclassmenageriie-moving]

Adeaze / Cheetah Facts

Worlds fasted land animal, 0-60 in 3 seconds

Cheetahs are not considered true big cats as they are not part of the 'Panthera' family

They are able to purr and chirp but not roar.

Unlike lions and leopards, they hunt by day

Their tail acts as a counter balance during high speed chases

Females are loners while males form coalitions of 2-5 and will stay in these small groups for life

Cheetahs are not fans of water

[worldclassmenageriie-moving]

African Drongo

Despite what the guard says about Tamaa scaring other animals "disrupting the circle of life" that is actually how drongos naturally get their food! So they were preventing Tamaa from practicing innate natural behavior for his species.

The african drongo, fork tailed drongo, or Dicrurus adsimilis is a small bird native from Sahel to South Africa that excels in mimicry, in particular deceptive mimicry.

They mimic the alarm calls of other birds and even meerkats in order to steal food which is the practice of kleptoparasitism; but they will also warn those birds of danger for real so the intended victims of the theft dont catch on.