Did you know that hyenas are closer to cats than dogs?

Most individuals assume that hyenas belong to the same family as wild dogs due to their appearances and hunting behaviour, not realising that hyenas are considered closer to cats than any other dog species. The unusual relationship between hyenas and cats usually surprises wildlife fans since these animals display many characteristics typically attributed to wild dogs. Although it seems that hyenas have more in common with wild dogs, their biological classification shows that hyenas belong to a separate evolutionary branch.

Hyenas belong to the feliform group

According to scientific classification, hyenas are included in the feliform branch along with such animals as wild cats, mongooses, and civets. Meanwhile, dogs and their relatives (wolves, coyotes, foxes, etc.) belong to caniforms, another group of animals. As for hyenas, their close affiliation with cats does not depend on their physical features, but rather on their evolution, genes, and anatomical structure.

They look very similar to wild dogs due to their evolution

The main thing that makes people associate hyenas with wild dogs is their resemblance to this animal. Hyenas look very similar to dogs, both in terms of skeletal structure and hunting behaviors. Nonetheless, researchers emphasise that evolution often causes unrelated animals to develop similar traits when surviving in similar environments. In other words, scientists claim that there are reasons for similarities between hyenas and wild dogs, even if the two groups do not belong to the same evolutionary branches.

They also display cat-like behaviors

In addition to dog-like features, hyenas demonstrate several characteristics that distinguish them as feliforms. As it turns out, these animals resemble felines by such aspects as grooming behaviors and scent marking. Scientists continue analyzing hyena's behaviors as well as other aspects of their biology in order to find similarities with other predatory animals.

Their strong jaws make them unique predators

It should be noted that hyenas represent one of the most powerful hunters because of their extremely strong jaws and specialised teeth. Thanks to these features, spotted hyenas can effortlessly crush almost anything. Thus, their hunting behaviors might seem very similar to those displayed by wolves and other wild dogs. Still, evolutionary history proves that dogs and hyenas belong to different animal families.

They evolved separately from canines millions of years ago

Evolutionary scientists state that caniforms separated from feliforms several million years ago, resulting in their further divergence. Thus, even though hyenas became a part of feliforms, they developed certain canine-like features due to convergent evolution, meaning the development of similar traits in unrelated animal groups surviving in the same conditions.

Scientists continue making surprising discoveries

As you see, hyenas are one of many examples that show how dangerous it could be to judge an animal based on its looks. Modern fossil discoveries allow researchers to reveal evolutionary relationships between species, thus changing their perception of the origins and similarities between various animals.

Disclaimer:

This article is for general informational and wildlife awareness purposes only. Scientific classifications and evolutionary studies may continue evolving as new research and fossil discoveries emerge.