40 THE MAMMALS OF SOMALILAND 



HABITS. The striped hyaena is considerably smaller than his 

 relative, but in his habits is very similar. Lazy and sluggish, he 

 carries his head low when walking along, periodically stopping to 

 sniff around him and then trotting on again. When disturbed he 

 raises his head, gazes for a few seconds, and rapidly gallops or 

 lumbers off. He feeds on offal his powerful jaws soon disposing 

 of the strongest bones. Unlike H. crocuta, he is never seen in 

 packs at the most two individuals being seen together, but far 

 more often singly. The heat of day is spent under rocks or in the 

 shade of bushes, where he scratches a lair for himself, emerging an 

 hour or so before sunset in quest of food. As age advances he 

 grows very destructive in his habits, hunting sheep and goats in 

 broad daylight and rapidly killing a number without attempting 

 to carry any away. It is to this destructive striped hyaena that 

 the Somalis have given the name of " Whera." 



