The vagina has merged with the urethra to form a common urogenital tract that makes a sharp bend and exits through the peniform clitoris. At puberty, the urethral opening splits. Copulation and birth are complicated because of this anatomy. With its powerful teeth and jaws and its efficient digestion, the spotted hyena can utilize virtually everything on a carcass except the rumen contents and horn bosses. Even desiccated carcasses yield protein and minerals during lean times.
Hyenas go through elaborate greeting ceremonies involving a lengthy genital inspection.
This probably is an appeasement gesture to restrict aggression since the subordinate usually lifts a leg and offers itself for inspection first. The hyena's reputation as a skulking, craven coward is not justified. Perfect opportunists, hyenas will take whatever entails the least effort and risk, but hunger will also drive a hyena to run down and kill unaided a large healthy bull wildebeest. Hyenas often lose their kills to lions, but sometimes several hyenas can bluff female or immature lions out of their kills. They also take kills from other predators.