Cackling creativity with free hyena coloring pages for kids. Enjoy 26 detailed black and white line drawings which celebrate these iconic African animals.
Hyenas are animals that may resemble dogs, but are actually more closely related to cats. They are found in various countries of Africa with some species found in the Middle East and India.
Many people assume that they are scavengers, but while that is a part of their identity, they are also adept hunters. They’re perhaps most well known for their haunting, cackling laughs!
You’ll get to discover different styles in this collection that showcase hyenas drawn realistically and more stylishyly. There will even be some characters from The Lion King.
There will also be some fun hyena facts for you to uncover.
26 Free Hyena Coloring Pages To Print And Color
1. Cartoon Hyena Pup Playing With A Stick Coloring PDF
Even though wild hyenas are dangerous, they are still playful, especially when they’re young pups. This one is playing with a stick, much as you would expect a puppy to do. As I touched on in the introduction, hyenas are not closely related to dogs and are more closely related to cats and mongooses. That was a big surprise to me when I learned it!
2. Cartoon Hyena Running Across The Savanna
Seeing a hyena running at speed is quite a sight to behold. They can run at around 37 miles per hour and are able to maintain that speed for long distances.
3. Simba Vs. A Hyena
Perhaps the most famous portrayal of hyenas would be their appearances in the Lion King films. They are usually seen as villains and henchmen in these films, and here you can see one of these hyenas going up against the lion, Simba.
4. Hyena Chasing A Zebra
Many people see hyenas as simply scavengers, but that’s far from the only way that they get their food. They are adept hunters and can even go after larger animals like zebras. In fact, they prefer hunting over scavenging, but the former is more dangerous than the latter.
5. Realistic Hyena In The Wild
There are so many details on this spotted hyena! If you see a hyena with spots and shorter hair, it’s probably an African hyena. The hyenas that live further North in Africa and in places like the Middle East and India are striped and often have longer hair.
6. Hyena Crouching Low In A Hunting Pose
Hyenas are really good at hunting! They will get low like this one so that their prey will be less likely to spot them. Because they’re smaller than a lot of their prey, they need to be smart when hunting.
7. Hyena Drinking Water From A Pond
All animals, regardless of whether they are hunter or prey, need to drink water. This hyena is taking a moment to hydrate itself before it begins a long day of hunting and scavenging.
8. Hyena Family In A Grassland
Hyenas are very social animals that live in large clans. In other animal groups, these would be typically led by males, but a hyena clan will be led by female hyenas. They are also usually larger than their male counterparts.
9. Hyena Scavenging In Tall Grass
While the amount of scavenging hyenas do may be overestimated by some, it is still a big part of how they acquire food. This scene shows a hyena scavenging some remains of a herbivore so that it can fill its belly.
10. Hyena In A Night Scene
Hyenas are mostly nocturnal animals, and so this scene is quite accurate to how they operate in real life. That’s not to say that they are never active during the day, but they do prefer to sleep when the sun is shining.
11. Hyena In A Rocky Canyon
This hyena pup is getting a better view of things as it gazes into a canyon. It looks very cute, and these pups are rather adorable in real life. But don’t be fooled! Hyenas are wild animals and can be dangerous to humans in rare instances.
12. Hyena Looking Over The Plains
Hyenas are sometimes portrayed as cowards in some stories, but they can actually dominate the plains when they work together. They are much weaker than animals like lions or leopards, but they make up for this with their intelligence and numbers.
13. Hyena Near A Termite Mound
The plains of Africa can be an unforgiving place, but hyenas are uniquely adapted to survive in this often harsh environment. This scene showcases a particularly desolate part of the environment.
14. Hyena Next To A Large Acacia Tree
Acacia trees are so iconic to Africa, so they’re the perfect choice to have in the background of a scene featuring a hyena!
15. Hyena Pack Together Coloring Sheet
There is strength in numbers, and hyenas sure know this! These animals are very intelligent, and they’re especially adept at problem-solving.
16. Hyena Pup Beside An Adult
Hyenas take good care of their pups, and this parent is teaching its baby the ropes. They also live fairly long lives, as healthy hyenas can live well into their 20s.
17. Hyena In The Shade Of A Bush
It can get pretty hot in the African savannah, and this hyena is taking a moment to cool off in the shade. You can make the colors a bit lighter and paler to make it look as if it’s shady.18. Hyena Napping Under A Tree
Hyenas need to conserve their energy, and that’s why it’s important that they sleep during the day. This one is having a lovely nap under a tree.
19. Hyena Pup Standing Near Water
This hyena pup is just so cute, and it has found a peaceful stream to drink from. Can you think of any other details that you could add to this scene to color?
20. Hyena Standing On A Hilltop
Up on the hill, a hyena is watching over the savannah to make its next move. Perhaps you would hear its laugh echoing across the plains. The laugh of a hyena is very eerie, especially at night. It’s not a response to something being amusing but is instead used for communicating, showing dismay or other purposes.
21. Hyena Standing On A Rock
The details on this hyena are so intricate! Coloring such small details isn’t always easy, and that’s why I like to use colored pens or pencils for them.
22. Hyena Walking Along A Path
If you ever get to go on an African safari (which I would highly recommend,) seeing a hyena walking along the road is always a special experience.
23. Hyena Howling At The Moon
This is such a dramatic scene, and coloring the moon with the right shade of yellow will help to make it even eerier.
24. Cartoony Hyena
Whenever hyenas are depicted in cartoons, they are often shown to be mischievous tricksters, which isn’t that far from reality!
25. Kawaii Style Hyena Sitting On The Ground
It’s time for a mixture of Africa and Japan! This hyena has been drawn in the popular Japanese Kawaii style, which is hyper-focused on making characters very cute.
26. Hyena Head Mandala
There are few things as relaxing to me as working on a mandala, and pairing it with a hyena head works so well. If you have lots of colors you want to experiment with, you can print out multiple copies to try them all out. You could also try out some art tools and mediums you don’t normally use.After You Color Your Hyena Pages
- Draw the hyenas with other iconic African animals like leopards, elephants, or giraffes.
- Look up some pictures of African safari vehicles and draw one with people in it observing the hyenas.
- Research some traditional African patterns and colors and use them to make some borders for your favorite pages.