7 Facts About Hyenas That Will Blow Your Mind

Often villainized as nasty scavengers, presented are facts that may change your views of these fascinating carnivores. Read on to meet the lion's eternal enemy!

1. Though commonly depicted as a cowardly scavenger, the spotted hyena is, in fact, an accompished hunter.

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Once believed to primarily eat carrion, these fierce predators take down gazelles, wildebeests, and even zebras. Lions are the primary animals displacing hyenas from their kills.

2. Proportional to its size, the hyena has the strongest jaws of any mammal at a whopping 1100 psi!

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The hippo might have the strongest jaws of any mammal, but relative to size these guys win. These jaws are capable of devouring and digesting elephant bones, it's no wonder they leave no trace behind.

3. Despite having a dog-like appearance, hyenas are phylogenetically closer related to cats.

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These African carnivores are even more closely related to meerkats and mongooses.

4. Females possess a 'pseudo-penis', an elongated clitoris, making it difficult to distinguish sexes. They are not hermaphrodites, as once believed.

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A traditional hyena greeting ceremony consists or sniffing and/or licking the others anogenital region. Can you imagine if this was the case for humans?

5. Spotted hyenas have a high social intelligence, consistently outpeforming chimps on cooperation and problem-solving tasks.

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When chimpanzees and other primates were confronted with similar tasks, they required extensive training for social cooperation. Spotted hyenas are some of the most socially complex mammals in the world.

6. Competition begins as a newborn: hyenas frequently attack their siblings, often resulting in death of the weaker cub!

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It is estimated that a quarter of the time, neonatal siblicide occurs. Newborns are often born completely developed with dark, un-spotted coats.

7. Contrary to popular belief, hyena cubs are some of the cutest animals in the world!

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Awwwwwwww :)