Hyenas have a bad reputation as cowardly scavengers, but they are actually highly interesting and intelligent animals.

Statistics
Body length: 1.3-1.85m, Weight 45-82kg. Females are about 10 per cent larger than males.

Physical Description
Spotted hyenas are the largest members of the hyena family. They are dog-like animals with a sloping body, as their front legs are longer than their hind legs. They have a short, sandy coat, covered with dark brown spots on the body and legs. Females have enlarged sexual organs, which are difficult to distinguish from the males'. These are displayed in meeting ceremonies, which reinforce social bonds and hierarchies.

Distribution
They inhabit West to East and southern Africa.

Habitat
Spotted hyenas are mainly found in savannah, but also inhabit desert fringe and the edges of tropical rainforest.

Diet
As well as scavenging, spotted hyenas hunt medium to large hoofed mammals. They are efficient hunters, and as well as targeting young antelope, they are also capable of bringing down animals as large as buffaloes and zebras. They consume about 3-6kg of meat daily. They have extremely powerful teeth and jaws allowing them to crush bones and feed on the nutritious marrow inside. They have highly concentrated hydrochloric acid inside their stomachs allowing them to digest bones. As well as meat and bone, spotted hyenas supplement this with fruits, eggs and invertebrates.

Behaviour
Spotted hyenas are often seen in groups called clans, which can range in size from 5-80 members. They are female-dominated - all males are subordinate to all of the females. Males leave the clan that they were born in when they reach adulthood, but females tend to stay and inherit their mother's rank. The clan defends a territory from intruders, and the territory can range in size from 40-1000 sq km. Spotted hyenas are most active at night.

Reproduction
After a gestation period of about 90 days, females give birth to only 1-2 cubs. All of the cubs in the clan share a den. They are weaned at 12-16 months.

Conservation status
The IUCN Red List 2002 classifies spotted hyenas as Lower Risk/Conservation Dependent.

Voice
Spotted hyenas have a range of sounds including yells, whoops and sounds that are too quiet for humans to hear. They also emit the famous 'laugh' - a raucous cackle.