La hiena moteada (Crocuta crocuta) es nativa del África subsahariana. Es un depredador generalista que puede vivir en la mayoría de entornos, aunque no están presentes en selvas y desiertos. Sus potentes patas delanteras, cuello musculoso y cuartos traseros relativamente enclenques en comparación les dan un peculiar aspecto. Tienen una cabeza y un hocico anchos, y pelaje color arena con manchas negras, así como una melena que desciende por el cuello hasta la mitad del lomo.
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Crocuta crocuta
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spotted-hyena
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Animal Facts
The spotted hyena's 'laugh' is a distress call that a hyena gives when it is being chased or attacked. Despite popular perception, spotted hyenas are formidable predators, not scavengers.
Hyenas are the only members of the order 'Carnivora' that give birth to young with open eyes and fully developed teeth.
Females are larger than males and dominate in spotted hyena society, they are hyper-masculinised; their external reproductive parts look male.
Spotted hyenas are extremely intelligent; their group cooperation and skill learning abilities are on par with chimpanzees.
Spotted hyenas have an extremely strong bite that allows them to routinely crush bone; their bite is stronger than a lion's. They can be very dangerous, in Malawi, in 1962, a pair of spotted hyenas killed 27 people.