3-11-2021 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - SPOTTED HYENA (Crocuta crocuta)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/41886-Crocuta-crocuta

23-5-2019 MANA POOLS, ZIMBABWE - SPOTTED HYENA (Crocuta crocuta)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_hyena

8-4-2018 THORNYBUSH LODGE, SOUTH AFRICA - SPOTTED HYENA (Crocuta crocuta)

A highly misunderstood animal, the Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) has the reputation of being cowardly and sly, but it is actually a fascinating and intelligent creature with a very interesting social system. It looks like a dog but is closer related to cats, civets, and genets. It is also called the laughing hyena. It is a strong and capable hunter and the largest member of the hyena family. Females and males look exactly the same except that females are a little larger.

The spotted hyena has a strong and well-developed neck and forequarters, but relatively underdeveloped hindquarters. The rump is rounded rather than angular, which prevents attackers coming from behind from getting a firm grip on it. The head is wide and flat with a blunt muzzle and broad rhinarium. In contrast to the striped hyena, the ears of the spotted hyena are rounded rather than pointed. Each foot has four digits, which are webbed and armed with short, stout, and blunt claws. The paw-pads are broad and very flat, with the whole undersurface of the foot around them being naked. The tail is relatively short, being 300-350 mm (12-14 in) long, and resembles a pompom in appearance. Unusually among hyaenids, and mammals in general, the female Spotted hyena is considerably larger than the male. Both sexes have a pair of anal glands that produce a white, creamy secretion that is pasted onto grass stalks by everting the rectum. The odor of this secretion is very strong, smelling of boiling cheap soap or burning, and can be detected by humans several meters downwind.

16-4-2018 CHOBE NATIONAL PARK, BOTSWANA - SPOTTED HYENA (Crocuta crocuta)

Spotted hyenas are famed scavengers and often dine on the leftovers of other predators. But these hardy beasts are also skilled hunters that will take down wildebeest or antelope. They also kill and eat birds, lizards, snakes, and insects.

In an increasingly overpopulated Africa, hyenas and humans come into frequent contact. In fact, the Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania actually leave their dead to be consumed by hyenas. However, these intelligent and bold animals will raid food stores and crops and are blamed for many livestock and even some human deaths. In some areas they have been heavily hunted as destructive pests.

Spotted hyenas are the largest of three hyena species. Brown and striped hyenas are the other two. Although hyenas appear similar to dogs, they are actually more closely related to cats. They live throughout much of Africa and eastwards through Arabia to India. Spotted hyenas live together in large groups called clans that may include up 80 individuals and are led by females.

8-4-2018 THORNYBUSH LODGE, SOUTH AFRICA - SPOTTED HYENA (Crocuta crocuta)

A highly misunderstood animal, the Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) has the reputation of being cowardly and sly, but it is actually a fascinating and intelligent creature with a very interesting social system. It looks like a dog but is closer related to cats, civets, and genets. It is also called the laughing hyena. It is a strong and capable hunter and the largest member of the hyena family. Females and males look exactly the same except that females are a little larger.

The spotted hyena has a strong and well-developed neck and forequarters, but relatively underdeveloped hindquarters. The rump is rounded rather than angular, which prevents attackers coming from behind from getting a firm grip on it. The head is wide and flat with a blunt muzzle and broad rhinarium. In contrast to the striped hyena, the ears of the spotted hyena are rounded rather than pointed. Each foot has four digits, which are webbed and armed with short, stout, and blunt claws. The paw-pads are broad and very flat, with the whole undersurface of the foot around them being naked. The tail is relatively short, being 300-350 mm (12-14 in) long, and resembles a pompom in appearance. Unusually among hyaenids, and mammals in general, the female Spotted hyena is considerably larger than the male. Both sexes have a pair of anal glands that produce a white, creamy secretion that is pasted onto grass stalks by everting the rectum. The odor of this secretion is very strong, smelling of boiling cheap soap or burning, and can be detected by humans several meters downwind.

5-4-2018 PHINDA GAME RESERVE, SOUTH AFRICA - SPOTTED HYENA (Crocuta crocuta)

1984 MASAI MARA, KENYA - SPOTTED HYENA (Crocuta crocuta)