Hyenas mating in the Jordan Valley, February 2024/Photo: Noam Yahya, Nature and Parks Authority
Noam Yahya inspector of the Nature and Parks Authority, served like many these days in the reserves.
These days his unit is near the town of Gilgal in the Jordan Valley, and during a night shift he scanned the area with a thermal camera.
"I suddenly saw suspicious movement, I realized that I was getting a rare document of a pair of hyenas at night. After a few minutes I saw that they were mating, a very exciting and rare event to document."
The hyenas, which are seen in the thermal camera as two black individuals on a white background, are seen during mating, when the male mounts the female, when she is probably trying to break free or "make it difficult" for her suitor.
Finally they separate and the female continues alone, while the male rests in his place (like any male at the end of the act :).
More about hyenas in Vala!
In the middle of the desert: a rare record of two striped hyenas in a fierce battle . A rare record in the steppe:
a hyena preys
on a young Ofer, and everything was recorded on a red and striped camera
in the south.
"I suddenly saw suspicious movement."
The two hyenas before the start of mating / Nature and Parks Authority, Noam Yahya
"There are known cases of small groups that gathered to reproduce"
"The hyenas' activity is mostly at night, they rely mainly on chemical communication," says Lavala!
Tourism Ezra Hadad inspector of the Nature and Parks Authority.
"Striped hyenas are considered solitary, but there are known cases of small groups that have gathered to breed. The males live in their trees or in small groups in larger territories, to allow them to mate with females in these territories. All hyenas mark their living areas at faecal sites, called 'latrines' near the den, and in secretions from their anal scent glands. Placing scent secretions on stones, rocks and bushes. The frequency with which hyenas spread their scent varies greatly between different species and within the species. When they come into physical proximity with one of their own species, all hyenas also communicate directly with each other. The second by recalling their mane and tails, as well as by a rich repertoire of facial expressions. In many respects the body language of hyenas is very similar to that observed in canines. The size of the vocal repertoire, as well as the importance of vocal communication in social life, varies greatly among hyenas."
Ezra adds that the striped hyena is common in most of the territory of the Land of Israel from Hermon to Eilat in recent years.
The main cause of death for hyenas is being run over on the roads and the reason for this is that many hyenas collect the carcasses of animals that are run over on the roads and thus they endanger themselves and run over.
The species recovered during the 70s of the 20th century and to this day the condition of the population in Israel is quite good.
In Israel and unlike other places in the world, hypocrites also live close to settlements and within them.
In recent years, hyenas have been observed looking for food in garbage cans inside settlements.
More in Walla!
Pietro is celebrating a round birthday and you enjoy a once-in-60-years sale
In collaboration with Pitro
"The hyenas' activity is mostly at night" (and we certainly understand why).
The hypocrites in action/Nature and Gardens Authority, Noam Yahya
The striped hyena in Israel - there are about 1,000 individuals
According to Ezra, in the 70s of the last century, the zoologist Giora Ilani estimated the population of hyenas in Israel at 80-135 individuals.
In the Red Book published in 2002, the population of hyenas in Israel was estimated at about 200 individuals.
In recent years, the sightings of the striped hyena in Israel have increased, and it seems that the population of hyenas in Israel has increased, there are many reports and sightings of hyenas entering settlements to look for food in the garbage that people throw away.
Additional sightings were also reported in places where it was not seen before or where it was very rare, such as Carmel, as well as in cities and towns in the central coastal plain.
It is estimated that the increase in the number of hyenas and their distribution is related to the amount of garbage that humans throw away, the number of animal tramples on roads such as jackals, and the number of sheep and cattle carcasses as well as game carcasses left in the field (for example, wild boars), which also attract hyenas.
The separation fence at Israel's borders contributed to the protection of hyenas, and created a refuge from the many dangers that lurk for the striped hyena.
In the last decade, the number of hyenas in Israel has increased impressively and the evidence for this is the amount of run-overs on the roads, from the data of the Nature and Parks Authority database and other observations between the years 2008-2020, 520 hyenas were run over in Israel.
And my estimates are that the striped hyena population in Israel numbers about 1,000 individuals.
More on the same topic:
Painted
Mating
Animals