Classification and Range
Spotted hyenas range throughout most of Africa south of the Sahara, except for the rain forests and most of South Africa. They once lived in South Africa but were eliminated in much of that region. Hyena populations have also been severely reduced in some savanna plains areas.

Reproduction
Spotted hyena become sexually mature at about 3 years of age; females later than males. They lack a definite breeding season, but after a gestation period of about 110 days, one to four (usually two) offspring are born. Females give birth in an isolated area away from the group. Newborns are black and weigh about 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg). Unlike most carnivores, hyenas are born in an advanced state of development. Their eyes are open, many of their teeth are fully formed, and they can even pull themselves along the ground with their front paws. Within hours after birth, same-sex siblings begin to battle for dominance. After two to four weeks, the mother brings her offspring to the clan. The clan carefully nurtures and cares for the young, although males participate in parental care less than females.

Life Cycle
The spotted hyena normally lives in a clan, which can number as many as 80 individuals. A clan is under the leadership of dominant (alpha) female. Large clans are especially common where there are large populations of ungulates. A clan marks its territory by scent-marking. Hyenas rest during the day in thick bush or tall grass, in holes dug by other animals, or in a den among rocky boulders. Where there are no natural cavities, hyenas dig out huge burrows 2-3 feet (61-91 cm) below the soil surface. In the late afternoon, they begin their daily search for food, sometimes running down their prey with speeds up to 40 miles per hour (64 km/h).

Hunter or Scavenger?
Spotted hyenas hunt prey to a greater degree than the other two species of hyena, but they will scavenge if the opportunity presents itself. This is not so much a difference between species as a reflection of their range. For example, where populations of ungulates are high (such as in the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti), spotted hyenas hunt for prey significantly more than they scavenge. In a group effort, hyenas can subdue prey as large as a wildebeest (three times a hyena's own weight).

In areas where prey is not so abundant, hyenas primarily scavenge. Their diet often consists of what other carnivores (such as lions) leave behind. The result is often an antagonistic but mutually respectful, and sometimes symbiotic relationship. Lions often drive hyenas away from a kill made by hyenas, thus becoming the scavengers themselves.

Crunch Time
Spotted hyenas have probably the most powerful jaws in the animal kingdom. This enables them to crush even the largest bones like twigs. They are such proficient eaters that they can even digest the bones, horns and teeth of their prey. Interestingly, their excrement comes in two colors, white and brown. White excrement is the result of eating bone, brown is waste material of the remainder of the hyena's diet.

Spotted hyenas are not immediately threatened or endangered.** However, their continued existence, as is true with all predators, depends upon the availability of prey. As human expansion continues to demand more space, there is inevitably less space left for prey animals. Since the number of predators is strictly dependent on the number of prey available, the long-range consequence will be a reduction in the numbers of all animals.

The hyena has not been considered beautiful (like the leopard) nor regal (like the lion), but it is one of nature's most successful creatures. It has survived in something similar to its present form for over 20 million years. It plays a critical role in the grand scheme of nature and is an extremely fascinating animal in its own right.

Although researchers conduct in-situ work to assess hyena numbers in the wild, scientists learn much of what we know about hyenas by studying them in captivity. For example, the University of California-Berkeley has a facility to house ongoing reproductive studies.

Woodland Park Zoo is Helping-With Your Support!
For many animals, flexible and sustainable conservation programs are essential. Partnerships with other zoos can support healthy captive populations, while in-situ field work can provide successful on-ground solutions for helping the hyena.

Each in-situ project supported by the zoo aims to provide a broad, holistic approach to conservation, encompassing research, education, habitat and species preservation. This includes comprehensive, cooperative strategies to link the needs of animals with the people who share their ecosystems.

Hyenas are not currently exhibited at Woodland Park Zoo.

How You Can Help!
Woodland Park Zoo contributes information to the captive husbandry and public awareness of this intriguing native species. The effort to save endangered species requires cooperation and support at the international, national, regional and individual levels. You can help in this cause. Join and become active in Woodland Park Zoo and other conservation organizations of your choice. Let your elected representatives know your views on protecting endangered species and wild habitats. Please do not buy products made from wild animal parts.

Contact Woodland Park Zoo at webkeeper@zoo.org to find out how you can support conservation efforts at the zoo. Learn other ways you can help conserve wildlife and the habitats they require for survival by visiting our How You Can Help page .

Sources and Suggested Reading
Kruuk, Hans. 1972. The Spotted Hyena: A Study of Predation and Social Behavior. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL. 335 p.

Nowak, Ronald M. ed. 1991. Walker's Mammals of the World. 5th Edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London. 1629 p.

Other Resources
Seaworld (spotted hyena fact sheet)

Spook's Photography Page (spotted hyena fact sheet): sailfish.exis.net/~spook/hyenatxt.html

Law, J. 2004. "Crocuta crocuta" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed January 06, 2005 at

Woodland Park Zoo - Teachers Packet Fact Sheet (Spotted Hyena)

Woodland Park Zoo Animal Management Staff: Personal Correspondence


* Taxonomic classification varies between references. Classification information used in this fact sheet was taken from: Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, 2nd edition, edited by Don E. Wilson and DeeAnn M. Reeder, 1993. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D. C. 1206 p.

** There are several international and federal agencies that determine the endangered status of species. WPZ designates a species as endangered if it is listed as endangered on the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) Red List, the US Fish & Wildlife Service's Endangered Species List, or on Appendix I of CITES (Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna).