The spotted hyena is known for its eerie laugh that resembles a human’s cackle, making it infamous for its savage-sounding “laughter.” Because of this, it is often referred to as the laughing hyena or the laughing jackal. It belongs to the family Hyaenidae and the order Carnivora.
Its scientific name is Crocuta crocuta. This species is the largest of the hyenas and is native to the regions surrounding the Sahara Desert. They can reach a height of nearly 1 meter and have an average weight of 85 kg. Female hyenas are significantly larger than the males. They can thrive in various climatic environments, from the extremely hot lowlands to the cold mountainous regions of East Africa.
Despite being wild animals, hyenas prefer to live near human habitats. They are extremely aggressive and show little fear of humans, often instilling a sense of caution in people.
First-time visitors to the Sahara region often feel their hair stand on end when, in the stillness of the night, they suddenly hear the loud and bizarre sound of frantic laughter echoing through the quiet. However, for the locals, this eerie call is all too familiar. Hyenas make this sound when calling their pack, hunting for prey, or seeking mates.
Each hyena has a unique call, but through their laugh-like sounds, locals can discern information about their age and social rank within the pack. The spotted hyena is a carnivore with a varied diet, consuming both fresh kills and carrion. This leads to a common misconception that they are scavengers.
The laughing hyena is a powerful and ferocious predator. In terms of strength, they rank just below lions when encountering prey alone. However, when they hunt in packs, even lions must yield to them. Their prey ranges from small birds to large animals like buffalo, antelopes, and even elephants and rhinoceroses, which are many times larger than themselves. With sharp teeth, strong jaws, agility, and excellent teamwork, they can take down any large animal.
Due to their strong pack mentality, they sometimes steal kills from lions. The African leopard, known for being extremely fierce and a master hunter, frequently finds its prey claimed by hyenas. Despite their skilled hunting abilities, they often prefer to steal food from other animals. For this reason, they are considered the most gluttonous predators on the planet, eating a diverse diet while frequently resorting to stealing prey.
Rather than exhaust themselves hunting, they lie in the sun, gazing up at vultures and crows. When they see these birds, they know there is either carrion or a fresh kill nearby. All they have to do is follow the flight of the vultures and crows to locate the area where a prey has just been taken down.
Scientists believe that the ancestors of the spotted hyena were striped hyenas. They branched off from striped hyenas during the Pliocene epoch, about 1.8 million years ago. Their ancestors were scavengers; however, the spotted hyena evolved into a new species that began hunting rather than solely consuming carrion.
They have also developed stronger forelimbs, making them longer and more powerful than their hind limbs. Their teeth can tear through the skin of even the toughest animals. Although these creatures have a notorious reputation for being thieves, they symbolize unity and teamwork. If one spotted hyena is in a fight with another animal, others will not hesitate to risk their lives to intervene and help their kin.
If a spotted hyena is related, even distantly, they will fight fiercely to protect each other. According to researchers, female hyenas exhibit stronger social behaviors, and the cubs inherit these traits from their mothers.
Scientists from the University of Michigan have discovered that mother hyenas transmit aggressive-stimulating hormones to their cubs. This is a crucial factor that helps them succeed in the struggles for survival. Thus, spotted hyenas live in a matriarchal society. Females are always more aggressive, vicious, and stronger than males, and they also lead the packs of male hyenas.
