A hyena (Hyaena hyaena) is a dog-like wild animal with rough fur and a stiff mane along its neck and back. They have long hairs on their neck and back. These animals live in holes among rocks and banks. Mainly, they are active at night. Usually, they are quiet and not aggressive. However, their cry is a strange, unpleasant sound.
Hyenas are scavengers that mainly feed on dead animals left behind by other predators. They use their strong jaws to crush bones. If there are few dead animals around, they will hunt small animals like sheep and goats. When threatened, they growl and raise their mane. But, they rarely engage in fights. Hyenas are sturdy, with longer forelegs than hind legs.
In Africa, hyenas are called scavengers. They eat village waste. In Palestine, the striped hyena hunts in rocky areas and tombs. Known for raiding graves, hyenas prompted Israelites to protect their tombs with heavy stones. This was to keep hyenas away. Absalom, King David's son, was killed by Joab. To protect his body, he was buried under a large pile of stones (2 Samuel 18:17).