HYENA

The Hyena (Hyaenidae) is Africa’s most common large carnivore. They are quite similar to canines in some ways such as the fact that they both catch their prey with their teeth instead of claws and both eat their catch quickly and may store it.They are mainly nocturnal animals. They are wolf-like in appearance and have a short build. They are brown in colour with spot markings all over their bodies.

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Mount Type

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Facts

• Hyenas are seen as being associated with witchcraft, as their body parts are used as ingredients in Traditional medicine.
• When attacked by Lions or other predators, Hyenas will feign death.
• The spotted hyena is very vocal, producing a number of different sounds consisting of whoops, grunts, groans and giggles.
• Hyenas are known to have preyed on humans in prehistory

Taxidermy

Thorough preparation is the key factor to ensuring a high-quality final product. All hides are tanned and oiled using the world’s very best available chemicals and processes to ensure permanence and longevity.Forms are selected to ensure the best fit and posture will be altered to suit you, the client’s preference without additional cost. Natural habitat bases are custom-made for full mount trophies without additional cost.Only the finest materials and 40 years of professional experience are used in defining your trophies in a whole new way. The final trophies are almost Life-Formed. When the restoration is required, every effort is made to repair cuts and abrasions, and to minimise bullet damage. Natural scarring is kept unless otherwise requested.

Habitat

Hyenas live in Savannahs, woodlands and in mountainous areas of up to 13 000 feet. They are wide spread and found in most areas in Africa such as Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique and Rwanda. Hyenas are skilled hunters and aren’t afraid to prey on animals of all sizes including Wildebeest, rodents and smaller wild cats.Their strong jaws helped to break down their meal so that they can consume it and little of there is left behind. The only parts not consumed are hair, hooves or horns. The hyena is also not scared to steal food from other animals.

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Professional Hyena taxidermy in South Africa

Hyenas are the most prevalent big carnivore in Africa. Spotted hyenas, brown hyenas, and striped hyenas are the three types found in the wild. The spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta, is the largest. On all species their torsos are shorter than their legs and their hindquarters are smaller than their shoulders and their backs stoop. Both their hearing and vision in the dark are superb.

Contrary to popular belief, hyenas are not related to either dogs or cats. Indeed, they are so different that they’ve been placed in their own family, Hyaenidae.

Hyenas are notoriously difficult to determine the gender of since the female genitalia closely resemble the male’s. If there are other hyenas present to use as a comparison, a huge one is probably a male. However, female spotted hyenas can sometimes grow to be larger than their male counterparts. Up to 90 spotted hyenas will cluster with a single dominant female.

They are well-known for being scavengers and frequently feed on the scraps that other predators leave behind. These tough animals can hunt wildebeest and antelope with ease. In addition to mammals, they hunt and eat reptiles, amphibians, insects, and birds.

 

Hunting Hyena

The allure of spotted hyena hunts has risen in recent years as curiosity in these elusive carnivores has grown. According to South African law, spotted hyenas are classified as a Threatened or Protected Species (TOPS). What this implies in practice is that outfitters in South Africa need a TOPS permit in order to take clients on spotted hyena hunts.

Shot placement on a hyena is comparable to that of other plains game species, and trophies are evaluated based on skull measures. When going spotted hyena hunting in South Africa, it is advised that you only use the highest quality ammo possible.

 

Preparation and storage tips for a flawless Hyena Trophy

Due to the high bacterial content of blood, it is vital to wash the area as soon as possible. When skinning, it’s crucial to get rid of any excess fat and meat that’s easy to see.

Decay and loss of hair are the two biggest enemies of a prize cape or hide. You should skin as soon as possible and use salt to prevent hair from slipping. A cool, shady spot on the veld is ideal for skinning the trophy. Speedy carcass cooling is achieved by removing the gut as soon as possible.

Label your trophy so that everyone knows who owns it. Tell the skinners what kind of mount you need before they start the skinning process.

The skin should be washed again in cool water after the skin has been removed, and then salted. Work the salt deep into the skin’s folds and use a lot of it. Dry the skin by hanging it for three to four days.

 

The Hyena Taxidermy process and method

Your desired position can be modified at no additional cost, and the best-fitting shapes are selected for you. All of our fully mounted hyena trophies are presented on custom bases fashioned to look like their native environments. It’s hard to tell the difference between the real thing and the completed taxidermy. To the extent possible, bullet holes are patched and abrasions repaired when restoration is required. Natural scarring will be preserved unless otherwise instructed.

Some taxidermists tan their own capes, while others take them to a tannery to be completed. As soon as the tanning process is done, the hide is dry-fitted to a mannekin made of foam.

After making sure the shape fits well, artifical eyes are glued on and the cape is stuck in place. Finally, the skull cap is placed on the design, and any remaining stitches are secured. Mounting requires several days or weeks to dry. After the mount has dried, the hair is combed to make it look natural, and the eyes, nose, and mouth are sculpted and painted to look lifelike.

 

Taking care of your hyena trophy

Your trophy requires frequent care if you want it to last. You should only have to clean your mount once a month if it is placed in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. If your trophy is on display in a very dusty area, you should dust it twice a month.

Compressed air or a hair dryer set to a cool setting can be used to give a trophy with long hair a fluffy appearance after cleaning. Restoring the shine of your trophy’s glass eyes can be done with a Q-tip and some basic glass cleaning solution. The nose, like the fur, may be cleaned with a simple wipe. To keep your trophy in pristine condition, we advise using Mount Medix Africa. It’s a product we sell and use ourselves.

Mounts need special storage conditions, separate from other trophies, including being kept in a climate-controlled, insect-free environment. Moths cause significant harm to haired animals. The females lay their eggs near the base of the hair, and the developing larvae consume the supporting tissue, resulting in bald spots and hair loss.

 

 

Frequently asked questions

How much does a hyena trophy cost?

Please contact us and we will gladly supply you with a quotation.

 

How long does a hyena trophy take?

It is estimated that it will take between eight and twelve months for Life-form Taxidermy to finish a hyena taxidermy.

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