Spotted Hyena

 

These interesting carnivores live in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. They are able to survive in savannas and swamps, as well as semi-arid regions, and even mountainous forest areas. Rather than resting in dens, adult spotted hyenas sleep in holes or shallow pools or under bushes or scrubs—anywhere they can find shade during the heat of the day.

Lions and hyenas compete over the same food in overlapping territories. Sometimes the hyenas do the work of organizing, chasing down, and killing prey only to have lions steal it. Lions often injure or kill hyenas as they fight over a carcass.

In a large group, spotted hyenas are able to chase lions away from a kill. But during a hunt, the hyena's impressive hunting skills come into play.

They are able to chase down prey over long distances while running at up to 37 miles per hour (60 kilometers per hour).

Spotted Hyena

 

Although it may look like a dog, the Spotted Hyena is more closely related to cats, civets, and genets. Also called the Laughing Hyena, the Spotted Hyena is a strong, capable hunter. It is the largest member of the hyena family (other members are the striped hyena, brown hyena, and aardwolf).

The spotted hyena may look unusual, at first sight. It has a large head with a long, thick, muscular neck and powerful jaws that give the hyena the strongest bite of any mammal.

Its front legs are longer than its back legs, giving the hyena a profile somewhat like that of a wildebeest or bison. The spotted hyena's paws have four toes with non-retractable claws. The short, coarse fur has a yellow or gray tint covered in spots, which differ among individuals. A short mane of hair along its back stands upright. Its only true predators are lions and humans.