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Fast Facts:

A carnivore, the Spotted Hyena can take down a prey that is three times its size.
Called a laughing hyena because of its squeal when fighting over food.
The spotted hyena will regurgitate undigested waste such as horns or tusks in pellet form.

Spotted Hyena

Scientific Name	Crocuta crocuta
Classification	Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Hyaenidae
Status	Stable
Range	South of the Sahara, excluding southern South Africa and the Congo basin
Habitat	Open grassland
Diet	Canivore, will kill its own prey or scavenge from carcasses.
Size	Length: Up to 6 ½ feet including the tail. Height: 3 feet at the shoulder Weight: 130-175 pounds
Lifespan	25 yrs.
Location

Special Features

The Spotted Hyena is the largest of its three relatives. It has a heavy build with a sloped back.
It has a short mane and the sandy red-brown coat has dark spots on the body and legs.
The female is much larger than the male.
Can reach speeds up to 25 mph.
The forelegs are longer than the hind legs giving the hyena its sloping profile.
The head is big and broad with very powerful jaws that can crush large bones.
Any food not eaten is buried and the hyena will remember its location.
Although it looks like a dog, the hyena is more closely related to a mongoose.

Social Structure & Behavior

Lives in packs of 12-100 animals that are dominated by a female. Varied squeals and howls including some that are inaudible to the human ear. Some of these sounds can be heard for several miles. They also communicate by leaving its scent using a creamy paste from the anal pouch.

Care of Young:
Sexual maturity is 18 months. Gestation 14-16 weeks resulting usually with a birth to two young. Nursing females share a den.

Newborn hyenas can see and run immediately and have most of their teeth. Not fully weaned until 18 months old.

Females fiercely defend their young since any males may kill the pups.