The earliest Hyena evolved from civet-like ancestors about 15 million years ago. Like hyenas, they only have four toes on each foot. Hyenas ancestors came from jungles in Eurasia, faring well for millennia. 4. It consists of all cat-like carnivores. Plus, they arent particularly picky about what type of meat they eat.These animals have digestive systems made of steel! These are larger dogs that grow to be about 55 pounds or so. Although its easy to imagine a lion bearing down on large mammals, smaller creatures are also capable of hunting large prey. There are just four living species of hyenas, and each is slightly different in appearance and behavior. Common raccoon dog Genus: Nyctereutes Species: N. procyonoides Binomial name Nyctereutes procyonoides (Gray, 1834). Hyenas are not dogs, but distinct species of carnivorous mammals with their own unique characteristics. The spotted varietys range is central, western, and southern Africa, though very few live in South Africa. This means it lacks the incredible bite force and bone-crushing teeth that make With a degree in Education and a love for writing, Nicole aims to share her and others' expert knowledge with pet lovers worldwide with Hepper. Some of the males can get to be close to 100 pounds. It is an ancient breed of domestic dog that was introduced to Australia, probably by Asian seafarers, about 4,000 years ago. Dogs That Look Like Hyenas: African Wild Dog. ", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Although hyenas appear similar to dogs, they are actually more closely related to cats. Hyenas belong to the suborderFeliformia. But closeup photos reveal adorable faces. Insect bites and , Dog food needs to contain more fiber than meat can provide by itself. the exact extent of this interbreeding is unknown. Polar Bear Quiz Get to Know Our Furry Friends. Members of the family Canidae are known as canids, and may also be referred to as canines. Finally, striped hyenas live in mountain regions, and scrub woodlands. These physical differences are just a few of the easiest ways that you can tell these animals apart from each other. Nicole is the proud mom of Rosa, a New Zealand Huntaway, and Baby, a Burmese cat.