Linh dương và ngựa vằn là một trong những con mồi của nó, nhưng linh cẩu cũng thức ăn chăn nuôi trên thối rữa. Có ba loài linh cẩu. Sọc (giống chó sói giống chó sói) và nâu (H. brunnea) linh cẩu nhỏ hơn so với linh cẩu đốm và xã hội ít. | LIFE ON THE GRASSLANDS 127 . times more and hunts mainly at night. Antelope and zebras are among its prey but hyenas also feed on carrion. There are three species of hyenas. The striped Hyaena hyaena and brown H. brunnea hyenas are smaller than the spotted hyena and less social. Hunting dogs and hyenas are impressive hunters but the lion Panthera leo is by far the most famous meat eater of the savanna. Nowadays lions are found only in Africa and in a very small part of northwestern India but at one time they lived throughout most of Europe and the Middle East. Lions live in family groups called prides which comprise up to three adult males and up to 15 adult females together with their young. Known since ancient times as the king of beasts a male lion is about four feet m tall at the shoulder and 10 feet 3 m long not counting the tail and it weighs 330-530 pounds 150-240 kg . It is a truly formidable animal but in fact the male seldom takes part in the hunt. His job is to defend the family s territory and keep rival males away from the females. Hunting is left mainly to the lionesses. Lions will eat small birds lizards and animals as small as mice but their diet consists mainly of gazelle antelope and The spotted hyena Crocuta crocuta inhabits grasslands over most of Africa south of the Sahara. A highly social animal it lives mainly by scavenging but it is also a formidable hunter. Courtesy of Fogstock . 128 GRASSLANDS Lions Panthera leo resting on the African savanna. On the open grasslands where there is little cover lions must hunt by stealth. Courtesy of Fogstock zebra. A single lion can kill any of these but when several lions work together they can kill bigger prey such as buffalo and giraffes. Lions stalk their prey slowly advancing until they are within about 100 feet 30 m of the target before charging. If a lion is lucky and three of every four lion attacks fail it will be able to grab its victim or knock it to the ground with a blow from its paw .
