Spotted Hyena

Crocuta crocuta

Spotted hyenas are strong hunters with powerful jaws and unique calls. They live in groups called clans and are excellent scavengers, often seen in African savannas.

Habitat: Savannas

Appearance

The Spotted Hyena has a shaggy coat of sandy yellow to reddish-brown, covered in irregular dark spots. Its distinctive build includes a sloped back, powerful neck, and large, rounded ears, making it visually unique from other savanna predators.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassMammaliaOrderCarnivoraFamilyHyaenidaeGenusCrocuta

Spotted Hyena

Interesting facts

Cubs are born with open eyes and tiny teeth, ready to play!

Every hyena's spot pattern is unique, like a human fingerprint!

Their powerful stomach acid can digest entire bones, fur, and even hooves!

They are more closely related to cats than to dogs, despite their appearance!

Special abilities

Spotted Hyena can make over a dozen different sounds that helps them communicate with their large clan.

Spotted Hyena can run long distances at speed that helps them chase down fast-moving prey.

Measurements & details

Length: 95-165 cm
Weight: 40-86 kg
Lifespan: 12-25 years
Top Speed: 60 km/h
Litter Size: 1-4
Gestation: 90-110 days

Diet & Feeding

These powerful hunters and scavengers eat almost anything, including bones!

Primary Foods

Wildebeest
Zebra
Gazelle
Carrion
Bones
Small mammals

Foraging Method

Pursuit

Ecological connections

hunts

Blue Wildebeest

Connochaetes taurinus

A primary large prey species.

hunts

Plains Zebra

Equus quagga

Often targets sick or young individuals.

eats

Lion

Panthera leo

Often scavenge from their kills.

Traits

Furry

Find adorable animals covered in a cozy coat of soft fur! Their fur helps them stay warm and protected in different environments.

Social

Discover creatures that love to live and work together! These animals form groups, helping each other find food, stay safe, and raise their young.

Scavenger

Meet nature's clean-up crew! These important animals help keep the environment tidy by eating what other animals have left behind or things that have passed away.

Tool Use

Discover amazing animals that cleverly use objects from their environment to help them find food, build homes, or protect themselves. They're nature's clever inventors!

Savanna

Explore vast grasslands dotted with scattered trees, where incredible wildlife roams and the seasons bring both wet and dry periods.

Ancient Lineage

These fascinating organisms carry echoes of the deep past, with ancestors that have roamed the Earth for an incredible span of time. They are living links to ancient worlds!