Spotted hyenas live in female-led clans and are efficient hunters as well as scavengers. Ngorongoro Crater has a large, well-studied clan. Their whoops and giggles carry across the plains at night.
Carnivores
Spotted Hyena
Crocuta crocuta
A clever, powerful clan hunter with a famous laugh-like call.
Size
40-64 kg
Lifespan
12-20 years
Diet
Wildebeest, zebra, gazelles and carrion.
Habitat
Grassland, woodland and semi-desert.
About the spotted hyena
Did you know?
01
Female hyenas are larger and more dominant than males.
02
Their jaws can crush bones as thick as a giraffe's leg.
03
Clans of up to 80 members share a den.
When to see it
Seen all year round; the best sightings depend on where you are.
Jan
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Trips that go there
Where to meet the spotted hyena
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