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Zhon — Hellhound Hyena - TaxidermyRug
Published: 2007-12-31 20:09:00 +0000 UTC; Views: 7520; Favourites: 48; Downloads: 348
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Description
Beautifully done rug off of a mighty African spotted Hyena.Some stories tell that the hyena was the most unclean and sinful of all the hounds on earth, and depicted as a hellish scavenger. Some tribespeople of Africa hunted the hyena, fearing that it's presence would bring the worst of luck.
This hyena was taken legally by a medical doctor, who spent some time in Africa. When he came to pick up the rug I finished for him he told me that even the guide and skinners that were in his group didn't even want to touch the animal once it was dead. Thus proves the belief that the hyena still is superstitiously feared. Luckily he was able to get it cleaned up and processed for entry into the States.
I loved this little guy....They sure do look like the outcome of what happens when you cross a pitbull with a bat! Lol!
Face was done so the hyena looked to be focused on what's in front of him. The owner wanted him to look calm, yet fierce... so the face was done in a fashion that from the profile, he looks alert, but not agressive, and as you walk in front of his face, the eyebrows give off an intent, focused look without the evil snarl of aggression.
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Comments: 107
One was just put up for sale in my journal!
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That's really expensive 
Where do you buy these pelts?
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I don't usually buy them because they are so rare to come by. Most are hunter abandonments or trade work, or the client died and didn't have someone to take it.
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Yes these animals are really rare as a pelt.
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Hey, you got an above view? I'm trying to find a good ref of hyena markings for a very special character of mine
Also, though I love a lot of your stuff, I admit I don't like skin rugs, it feels wrong to me XP But I'm not here to preach to you about my beliefs, eheh.
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Hi! I thought I had snapped a top view but apparenty I do not have it. Sorry.
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I'm sorry, the creature looks really nice, but condoning taxidermy of such a beautiful and strong creature also leads to condoning poaching said creature just for the purpose of using it as a trophy in someone's home. It's happened before, it'll happen again.
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...Just out of curiosity, anyway, how do you know it was a him? (Do like how you did the face.)
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Pretty sure it was a him from the thicker cranial blade and the fact he had very big boy-bits.... but then again I hear it is hard to tell with Hyenas since they carry both parts.
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The problem with hyenas is that the females are slightly larger than the males, and have a heftier bite...and do indeed have external "boy bits", including a "penis" and false testes. I kind of wondered, if you just got the skin, if there had been a gender id with it, or if you got skin with stuff still attached. With just the skin, I think there's a chance this was a "she" instead of a "he"!
...Just see what overproduction of testosterone gets you...
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All your rugs look like the animals are saying something!!! 
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Did you know hyenas are more related to cats than dogs?
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I heard something like that.... but I think I heard it was towards Wolverines.
They're a weird species all to themselves
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Nah.. I think wolverines are just big weasles.
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essentially? Hyenas arn't even in the weasel family. [link]
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i really don't need a link to a hyena page lol, I'm a walking hyena encyclopedia. hyenas evolved from the same common ancestor as badgers and wolverines, which are related to weasels. in the end being closer related to them then cats or dogs. the misleading and old quote of "hyenas are closer to cats than dogs" was made merely to show how distant from dogs they are, however their CLOSEST relatives period are Herpestidae, weasel-like animals (mongoose and meerkat), hence the word essentially. i have owned enough ferrets to clearly see the hyena as having come from a similar animal to them instead of a feline or canine.
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Beg to differ. Hyenas are members of suborder Feliformia, and are indeed more closely related to cats, and animals like fossa, mongooses, civets, genets and linsangs, than to either dogs or mustelids.
[link]
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Oh goodness, a hyena rug would be one of the coolest things ever. Hyenas are my favorite mammal, hands down.
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Great job on the facial construction! That would be a very hard look to pull off. Beautiful, as always.
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There were issues with the face as it looks more like a pitbull than a hyena... perhaps the next one will look better.
Thankies!
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Yeah, I can see that. It's rather close, though, but hey, practice makes perfect
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oops, hit submit accidentally. just wanted to say great work on the expression!
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aww.. what a sweet boy! want to just go sit down and pet him!
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I wonder if they could be trained to be pets.....
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they are easier to tame than wolves, so yes. for some reason hyenas adapt better to captivity than many other animals. currently striped hyenas make the best hyena pets, they become extremely docile and even more tame.
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I doubt it. I have a friend with a half dingo (yes, not the same thing, but they're both primitive dogs).. they just don't have the same phsycology as even a wolf.. they're even wilder. an example - there was a piece of meat. one of the other dogs went for it, and dingus there went and took a bite out of the haunch of the other dog and was hanging by her. They seem to have a more.. primitive thought process, from what I've seen. (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on anything there..)
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Oh I believe it!
And even hyenas aren't a part of the dog family... there moreso related to cats.
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eh, sorry.. had a migrane all night, not thinking the best, or doing research.. just saying things as I remember them. XP
huh.. I actually see hyenas get their own family.. how special 
though that doesn't really answer my questions about the relation.. oh well.
though.. I do see
# Order: Carnivora
* Suborder: Feliformia
is that where the relation manifests?
sorry for the questions, my head hurts too much to do *real* research right now (I'd forget what I was doing every minute and a half), and I'll forget by the time this goes away, and having an actual person confirm or deny things makes things make much more sense. 
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Yup! I do believe that's how people see the relation!
Soory your head hurts... take an advil and everything will be awesome!
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sadly, it won't.. I've got real migranes.. unfortunately, I also have a real lack of Imitrex. at least I have standby meds like excedrine migrane though
thanks for clearning that up!
taxonomy is way more confusing than it should be.
anyway, again, gorgeous hyena..
and so I close, knowing the ending, has not yet been written
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Awesome! Do you tan the critters yourself?
Someone told me that hyenas are in the Mongoose family lol I dunno if I can believe that haha.
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I get the stuff tanned by a professional tannery (that way I don't screw up the fur)
And actually... I just found out that they ARE more related to cats and mongooses than dogs!
Which is really weird!
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Yeah someone told me that they were and I was like what?! O-o
They look so dog-like so I always thought they were canines.
I know how you feel with the taxidermy, I would totally screw my stuff up if I tried to do it haha.
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Lol! They are freaky animals! And I was also told that they are born as both genders and grow into one as they find their place in the pack. That's crazy!
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? the doctor killed it to be made into a rug?
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Oh, hyenas are so cool. I didn't realize their heads were so bear-ish. It must be great to see such wild animals so up close. (:
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they are somethin' else! Really freaky lookin'!
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*gasdp*..that is sad..i feel sad for me character..but cool
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he does remind me of some huge bat. but he does have a pretty pattern/color to his fur. nice work!
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I didnt realise they had so little hair on their head! its makes sense really cos if ur sticking your head in dead things, you really don't want long hair...
anyways, great work as always, youve done the expression really well ^^
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I've heard that Hyenas are actually in a family separate from canines (canidae?). And aren't they like huge?! Anyways great job! ^^
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