SQT Geographic Dec 2007 Special - The Hyena (Sprinter or Stayer?)

[up and away]

Question: What do you want to do with a killed hyena? Wouldn't it be much more sensible to hunt down a cow?

[andySYD]

This discussion is too good not to contribute...

so we can conclude that at least Hicham and Haile will be able to kill a hyena over a mile run?

According to IAAF website, the world record for one mile is:

World Record 3:43.13
Hicham El Guerrouj

and for marathon:

World Record 2:04:26.xx
Haile Gebrselassie

[CGK]

a mile ... (compared to four minutes for a man) but a marathon ... (compared to less than three for a man).

According to IAAF website, the world record for one mile is:

World Record 3:43.13
Hicham El Guerrouj

and for marathon:

World Record 2:04:26.xx
Haile Gebrselassie

[jjpb3]

It's all relative. Under about five kilometers, a hyena is faster than a man. Over about ten kilometers, a man (in very good shape) is faster than a hyena. For example, a hyena can run a mile in about two minutes (compared to four minutes for a man) but a marathon would take a hyena more than four hours (compared to less than three for a man).

Comparing those times is misleading. Most digitigrades can outsprint a man. The hyena can do it over a distance long enough that a sprinting man, carrying a spear or knife, would not be able to catch up. Over longer distances, a big difference between endurance hunters and a marathoner is that the former can execute a kill, while the latter is hardly in any condition to do so.

[zvezda]

I thought hyenas were endurance hunters.

It's all relative. Under about five kilometers, a hyena is faster than a man. Over about ten kilometers, a man (in very good shape) is faster than a hyena. For example, a hyena can run a mile in about two minutes (compared to four minutes for a man) but a marathon would take a hyena more than four hours (compared to less than three for a man).

[MovieMan]

Interesting. I can't vouch for these mutant sprinting hyenas you know about , but I thought hyenas were endurance hunters.

Quite true. Also see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/...feature1.shtml

When hyenas do finally zero in on a target, they can accelerate to over 50kph at a moment's notice. They may not be able to outpace their victims at first, but they have extraordinary stamina. After a kilometre, the wildebeest or tommy is flagging, while the hyenas are still going strong. After 2km, the prey is exhausted and turns to face its pursuers...

[jjpb3]

If you've ever hunted hyena with a knife or a spear, you'll know they're quite fast over the sorts of distances involved at JFK. Over longer distances, their endurance is poor, making it possible to hunt them down and kill them.

Interesting. I can't vouch for these mutant sprinting hyenas you know about , but I thought hyenas were endurance hunters. So too, apparently, did others:

Hyenas are built for endurance, possessing a very large heart which allows them to trot at 10 km/h (6 mph) without tiring. During chases, hyenas have been clocked at running speeds of up to 50 km/h (30 mph) for over 3 km...
Spotted hyenas hunt in a manner similar to African wild dogs, chasing their prey for long distances waiting for it to exhaust itself. Having chased the prey animal to exhaustion, the hyenas pull it to the ground and disembowel it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_hyena

[zvezda]

I like zvezda's candid of describing the situation... especially the part on running faster than a hyena. Simply hilarious!

If you've ever hunted hyena with a knife or a spear, you'll know they're quite fast over the sorts of distances involved at JFK. Over longer distances, their endurance is poor, making it possible to hunt them down and kill them.

[The High Flyer]

Without a diplomatic passport, your only chance would be an arrival at least 30 minutes early due to unusually favorable winds, miraculously taxi directly to a gate, be among the first few off the aircraft, run faster than a hyena through the terminal, find a shorter queue than I've seen during my last 20 arrivals, not make any wrong turns taking the airtrain to the US terminal, already have your boarding pass printed in SIN or FRA, and find there is no queue for security. If any one of those things don't go right, then you will miss your flight if it departs ontime.

I like zvezda's candid of describing the situation... especially the part on running faster than a hyena. Simply hilarious! On a more serious note, uglymale, the rest are correct. JFK is a nightmare.