Spotted Hyena
Crocuta crocuta
Field notes
How they live.
- Diet
- Carnivore (scavenger and highly effective hunter)
- Social structure
- Large, matriarchal clans of up to 80 individuals
- 01
Despite their reputation as scavengers, spotted hyenas kill 50-95% of the food they eat.
- 02
They have one of the strongest bite forces of any mammal, capable of crushing bones.
- 03
Female hyenas are larger, more aggressive, and socially dominant over males.
Where to see them
Your best chances.
Ranked by how reliably our guides find spotted hyena in each park. Nature makes no promises, but the odds are not equal.
- NgorongoroTanzania · Approx. 400Best months: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, OctAbundant
- AmboseliKenya · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- LaikipiaKenya · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- Lake EyasiTanzania · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- Lake ManyaraTanzania · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- Lake NaivashaKenya · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- Lake NakuruKenya · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- Masai MaraKenya · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- Ol PejetaKenya · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- SamburuKenya · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- SerengetiTanzania · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- TarangireTanzania · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, NovCommon
- Tsavo EastKenya · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- Tsavo WestKenya · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
Also out there
The rest of the field guide.
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