I was amazed the first time I saw this animal. That was during a trip organized by my secondary school to Songhai Redemption Centre, near Owerri, Nigeria.

The spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) is Africa’s most common large carnivore. They have excellent nighttime vision and hearing and usually bear litters of two to four cubs. Cubs start eating meat from kills near the den at about 5 months old, but they are suckled for as long as 12 to 18 months – an unusually long time for a carnivore.

Hyenas don’t roar like big cats but make a distinct laugh. They are reported to have the strongest jaw on Earth. One bite from a hyena can give a big shock to its victim. Their main competitors are lions and wild dogs. While they compete for food and space, it’s common to see hyenas gang up on lonely lionesses and wild dogs gang up on hyenas. It’s like a game of Thrones! Other big cats, such as leopards and cheetahs, stand no chance against spotted hyenas.

Buffalo, zebra, antelope, wild boar, and other animals make up their diets. Hyenas can feed on all body parts: flesh, bones, hair, hooves, horns, and vegetable matter. They are savage and can attack people and livestock. Yet the greatest predator of these animals is man.

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Image by African Wildlife Foundation.