Hyena

Hyenas are animals that appear in The Lion King franchise.
== Information ==
Hyenas are exceptionally intelligent when it comes to working together, being the most intelligent members of the Carnivora order, and hunt down most of their food, despite their reputation as scavengers. They are also famous for having the strongest jaws of all carnivores, being easily able to break, eat and digest hard materials like bones, hooves and teeth.
Hyenas are well-known for the "laughing" sound that they produce. In reality, this call is not emitted out of amusement, but as a result of stress or fear. Hyenas have been observed "laughing" when they are being attacked or chased from a kill.
Spotted hyenas are usually sandy-colored, pale grayish-brown, or ginger, with black or dark brown spots. Their eyes are brown, and the fur on their muzzles is dark. They have blunt muzzles, short tails, and thick necks. Unlike other hyena species, spotted hyenas have round ears.
The striped hyena has a fairly massive, but short torso set on long legs. The hind legs are significantly shorter than the forelimbs, thus causing the back to slope downwards. The legs are relatively thin and weak, with the forelegs being bent at the carpal region. The neck is thick, long and largely immobile, while the head is heavy and massive with a shortened facial region. The eyes are small, while the sharply pointed ears are very large, broad and set high on the head.
Striped hyenas are the smallest of the true hyenas and retains many primitive viverrid characteristics lost in larger species, having a smaller and less specialised skull. Though primarily a scavenger, large specimens have been known to kill their own prey, and attacks on humans have occurred on rare instances. The striped hyena is a monogamous animal, with both males and females assisting one another in raising their cubs. A nocturnal animal, the striped hyena typically only emerges in complete darkness, and is quick to return to its lair before sunrise. Though it has a habit of feigning death when attacked, it has also been known to stand its ground against larger predators such as leopards in disputes over food.
The striped hyena features prominently in Middle Eastern and Asian folklore. In some areas, its body parts are considered magical, and are used as charms or talismans.
Brown hyenas are distinguished from other species by their long shaggy coat and pointed ears, a dark brown coat and a short tail. Their legs are striped brown and white, and adults have a distinct cream-colored fur ruff around their necks. Erectile hairs up to 305 mm (12.0 in) in length cover the neck and back and bristles during agonistic behaviour.
Spotted hyenas live in groups known as clans, which can consist of up to eighty individuals. They are female-dominant. While hyenas are one of the most socially tight-knit predators, they also have very rigid and nepotistic hierarchy in which not only size and brute strength, but also ancestry and ally networks have significant influence in a hyena's rank in the clan. These rankings rarely change though once they have been established. This hierarchy is formed minutes after birth, as hyenas are the only carnivores born with their teeth ready and eyes open. If the cubs are of the same sex, they will start fighting each other minutes after birth for dominance. If they are of a different sex, then the male will usually submit to the female sibling without struggling.
Brown hyenas have powerful jaws. Young animals can crack the leg bones of springboks within five minutes of birth, though this ability deteriorates with age and dental wear. The skulls of brown hyenas are larger than those of the more northern striped hyena, and their dentition is more robust, indicating a less generalized dietary adaptation.
==Appearances in Fanfictions==
Here are all the fanfictions that this animal makes an appearance in that are on this wiki. If your fanfiction includes hyenas, add it to this list.
==Hyenas on the Wiki==
All hyenas on the wiki can be found here.
==Trivia==
*Originally, Scar's henchmen were going to be cape dogs. They were later replaced by spotted hyenas.
*Though hyenas make noises similar to those of dogs in The Lion King franchise (with their exception of their laughter and voices), hyenas are actually more closely related to cats than dogs. They even have other traits similar to dogs, which can be confusing.
*In reality, female hyenas are the leaders of their clans, but in The Lion Guard, a male named Janja is the leader of his clan.
==Gallery==
Category:Animals
Category:Hyenas