> [!quote] [Spotted hyenas adjust their foraging behavior in response to climate change](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220404105732.htm) via Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research on 2022-04-04. > > Spotted hyenas in the Serengeti National Park reproduce throughout the year. Their cubs entirely depend on milk for their first six months of life > > the substantial increase in annual rainfall during this time halved the presence of migratory herds inside the hyena clan territories, but did not affect the ability of female hyenas to access their prey and successfully nurse their young. > > When large aggregations of migratory herbivores occur in the clan territory, all lactating mothers feed inside the territory and nurse their cubs daily. When migratory herds are absent, there is no other prey around and females fuel milk production by regularly commuting to distant areas to feed on migratory herbivores. After one to several days, they return to the communal dens to nurse their cubs. > > hyenas use well established commuting routes which cross many territories. Dr Sarah Benhaiem explains: "The use of these tracks would allow hyenas to obtain information on foraging success of animals from different clans they encounter on the way. This could help improve their efficiency in locating distant migratory herds. - relevant for [[climate change requires action regardless of cause]]