Hyena
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Born to Kill
Spotted hyena and cub in Africa. The spotted hyena is the only wild mammal whose infants appear to be genetically programmed to attack and, in many cases, kill their siblings. Hyena cubs are born with their eyes open, unlike the big cats, and have teeth.
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Time to Eat
Hyenas devouring gnu after chasing away the lioness that killed it in Serengeti, Tanzania.
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Size Does Not Matter
Hyena with a carcass at Kruger National Park, South Africa. Hyena can be very opportunistic and has been recorded eating almost any mammal, bird, fish or reptile, irrespective of size or species.
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Spotted Hyena
Spotted hyenas are the most abundant and largest carnivore in Africa.
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All They Can Eat
Spotted hyena with prey in Serengeti, Tanzania. If undisturbed, sported hyenas will gorge themselves, eating up to a third of their weight in meat at a time. That's between 30 to 40 pounds!
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Prey to Kill
The spotted hyena is still widely regarded as a scavenger that picks up leftovers at the kills of other carnivores (cheetah, leopard, lion) or feeds on carrion. Although spotted hyenas will scavenge opportunistically, they kill as much as 95% of the food they eat.
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Feline Relatives
Although hyenas appear similar to dogs, they are actually more closely related to cats. The hyena's loud, cackling 'giggle' vocalization inspired the phrase "laughing like a hyena". Young hyenas are poor hunters, and do not achieve adult competency levels until they are 56 years old. The average life span of Hyena in the wild is up to 25 years.
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Female Domination
Spotted hyenas live together in large groups called clans that may include up 80 individuals and are led by a "queen". Females are dominant over males, and even the lowest ranking female is dominant to the highest ranking male. Being the dominant sex, the females are more aggressive and larger than the males. They weigh up to 170 pounds, around 45 pounds heavier than the males.
