Name: 為什麼做一隻雄性鬣狗很糟糕？ (Why It Sucks to Be a Male Hyena)
Uploaded: 2021-01-14T07:02:34.000Z
Duration: 3 min 2 s

And this is Scarface, one of the hyenas I studied in Kenya; and like all male spotted

牠叫 Scarface，是一隻我在肯亞研究的鬣狗

就像其它雄斑鬣狗一樣，牠的生活糟透了

Babyhood is actually the pinnacle of a male hyena’s life.

嬰幼時期大概是雄鬣狗一生中的巔峰了

Itty-bitty cubs of both sexes rank just below their moms, who make up the entire top of

雌、雄幼狗在族群中的階級僅次於牠們的媽媽

the clan's social hierarchy – more on that later.

而成年雌性支配整個氏族階級的頂端 ─ 等下會提到更多

So cubs have decent access to food, sleeping spots, and everything else.

所以幼狗有更多的機會可以先吃到食物、休息地點及其它

Females generally don’t like mating with males from the clan they grew up in - it’s

雌鬣狗通常不會與相同氏族底下的雄鬣狗交配

probably nature’s way of avoiding inbreeding.

這大概是種預防近親交配的的天性

So once males turn two or so, they leave their clan and strike out on a lonely, dangerous

所以一旦雄鬣狗長到兩歲會離開成長的族群

search for a clan with better mating prospects.

展開孤獨、危險的探險以尋找更好的交配機會

Lots of other mammalian males do the same thing, but for them, the transition to a new

大部分的哺乳動物都有這種行為，但對它們而言，這種遷移到另一族群的轉變

group is an opportunity to challenge high-ranking individuals and increase their social standing.

是一種挑戰擁有更高階級與社會地位的機會

They endure aggressive hazing by the new clan before even being allowed to join, and once

在被新族群接受以前，它們得忍受來自新族群的欺辱

a male does gain acceptance, he becomes the very lowest-ranking hyena in the pecking...er...bone-cracking

一旦被接受了，牠們也只能成為新族群的最低階層

The tastiest food rarely makes its way down to him, and there’s no way to move up the

最好吃的食物永遠輪不到牠們來品嘗

social hierarchy besides simply waiting: either for new males to join the clan below him or

且無法透過等待來提高社會階層

即便有新的雄鬣狗在牠們來之後加入或前面有其它雄鬣狗死亡

No adult male will ever top a single female, resulting in a female-dominated hierarchy.

不會有任何一隻雄鬣狗的階級會高於雌性，形成了雌性支配的社會階層

This is all...weird; unlike most mammals, male hyenas are subordinate to females.

這很奇怪；不像其它的哺乳動物，雄鬣狗僅是雌鬣狗的附屬物

Which is probably because, unlike most mammals, female hyenas are bigger and meaner than males,

很有可能是因為，不像大部分哺乳動物一樣，雌鬣狗通常較雄鬣狗體型大且寡情

which is probably thanks to their need to stand up for their offspring in this kind

這可能要歸功於她們需要為在這種瘋狂的餵食風潮中哺育後代

And unlike pretty much all mammals, physically fit or socially capable individuals can’t

一樣不像其它哺乳動物，雄鬣狗即便擁有健康的身體或社會地位

make their way to the top of hyena society to do most of the decision- and baby-making.

一樣不能進入較高的社會階層參與決策以及生寶寶

They’re the only social mammals we know of with such a rigid hierarchy, and we don’t

牠們是我們所知道的唯一具有如此嚴格社會階級的哺乳動物

Male hyenas like Scarface end up plagued with injuries from harassment & hazing, endure

Scarface 就像其牠的雄鬣狗一樣，因為以上提到的煩惱與欺辱而充滿傷痕

prematurely worn-down teeth from eating too many bones, and on average, only live as half

需因為吃太多骨頭而承受牙齒損耗

且平均活得比雌鬣狗還要短約一半的壽命

The best they can hope for is that, at the end of the day, they’ll have left behind

牠們唯一可以盼望的是，有一天牠們能留下幾隻幼狗

a few cubs - which is not the best for the ones that turn out to be males.

但對被留下來的是雄幼犬來說不是好事

While I was getting my PhD, I spent several years in Kenya studying hyenas like Scarface.

當我在取得我的博士學位時，我花了幾年時間在肯亞研究像 Scarface 一樣的鬣狗

And the rest of the MinuteEarth team has done amazing research and explored all sorts of

而 MinuteEarth 團隊其他成員也一樣有做了一些很棒的研究

To find out about the adventures of the MinuteEarth team, learn how we make videos, and ask us

尋找更多 MinuteEarth 團隊的冒險、學習如何製作影片

your burning questions, join us for an livestreamed q&a on our Patreon page at Patreon.com/MinuteEarth

以及問我們問題，可以透過贊助網頁 livestreamed q&a 加入我們，網址是 Patreon.com/MinuteEarth

While you’re there, consider becoming a Patron; just a dollar a video from you means

當你拜訪網頁，有考慮要加入贊助；只要一部影片一美元對我們來說就夠了

we won’t have to resort to gnawing on bones to survive.

就不用像雄鬣狗一樣靠啃骨頭來生存了