Hyena are one of the most misunderstood and under-appreciated species in the wild. They are probably one of the most successful carnivores in southern Africa – proficient at both hunting and scavenging – and are also, surprisingly, one of the most maternal predator species. Spotted hyenas invest more energy per cub than any other terrestrial carnivore and they do so with apparent tenderness and patience. Curious and exploratory from birth, recent studies have determined this to be one of the most intelligent creatures in the animal kingdom, with experiments proving that as a collective or in group problem-solving scenarios, they even out-perform chimpanzees. Despite their appearance, hyenas are more closely related to cats than dogs and belong to their own family within the Carnivora, Hyaenidae. There are four species in the family, including the spotted hyena, brown hyena and aardwolf (which are found in Africa) and the striped hyena (found in Asia).
years