Hyenas on coins

<k> · September 24, 2012, 09:09:33 PM

Hyenas somewhat resemble members of the canine family, but in fact they are more closely related to cats, weasels, genets and civets. There are four main species of hyena: the brown hyena, the striped hyena, the spotted hyena, and the aardwolf, which is insectivorous and much more timid than the hyenas.

From Wikipedia:

Both hyenas and canines are non-arboreal, cursorial hunters that catch prey with their teeth rather than claws. Both eat food quickly and may store it, and their calloused feet with large, blunt, non-retractable nails are adapted for running and making sharp turns. However, the hyenas' grooming, scent marking, defecating habits, mating and parental behaviour are consistent with the behaviour of other feliforms.

Hyenas have relatively short torsos, and are fairly massive and wolf-like in build, but have lower hind quarters, high withers and their backs slope noticeably downward toward their croups. The forelegs are high, while the hind legs are very short and their necks are thick and short. Their skulls superficially resemble those of large canids, but are much larger and heavier, with shorter facial portions. Like canids, hyenas have short, blunt, non-retractable claws. With the exception of the spotted hyena, hyaenids have striped coats, which they likely inherited from their viverrid ancestors. Hyenas have one more pair of ribs than canids, and their tongues are rough like those of felids and viverrids. Males in most hyena species are larger than females, though the spotted hyena is exceptional, as it is the female of the species that outweighs and dominates the male. Also, unlike other hyenas, the female spotted hyena's external genitalia closely resembles that of the male.

Hyenas lack perineal scent glands, but have a large pouch of naked skin located at the anal opening. Large anal glands open into it from above the anus. Several sebaceous glands are present between the openings of the anal glands and above them. These glands produce a white, creamy secretion the hyenas paste onto grass stalks. The odour of this secretion is very strong, smelling of boiling cheap soap or burning, and can be detected by humans several metres downwind. The secretions are primarily used for territorial marking, though both the aardwolf and the striped hyena will spray them when attacked.

(Like skunks, then!).

<k> · September 24, 2012, 09:13:20 PM

Botswana, 150 pula, 1978.

Hyenas are not generally held in high esteem.

As a result these fascinating animals have never appeared on the circulation coins of any country.

They have, however, been portrayed on a few collector coins.

They have also been depicted on stamps.

Here you see the brown hyena on the Botswana gold 150 pula coin of 1978.