With an estimated population of 3,000, the [I 006 / spotted hyena] is the most numerous large predator in the Serengeti. Hyenas account for over half of the predation kills of [G 45 / ungulates] and they pose the only competition to lions for prey.
Hyenas live in clans on the plains during the wet season and prey on wildebeest, [P 018 / zebras] and [P 020 / Thomson's gazelles] when they are available. They establish dens near edge of woodlands when the migrating herds of wildebeest, their preferred prey, move on at the beginning of the dry season. From these dens, most hyenas commute to the herds. When the wildebeest move further into the Northern Extension of the park, some hyenas become nomadic and follow while most stay in clans and rely on resident prey such as Grant's gazelles and topis.
The hyena's reputation as a scavenger stems from its ability to eat what other mammals won't. Its unique digestive system allows for the digestion of organic material in bone and elimination of the indigestible parts such as hooves, bone pieces, hair and ligaments in the form of regurgitated pellets.
They are efficient, effective hunters, killing nearly 70 percent of their food themselves. Like lions, they usually hunt at night in groups taking full advantage of ungulates' diminished night vision. They test herds by charging, then slow down and watch for vulnerability in the fleeing animals. They often select young, old or sick wildebeest, but will also hunt healthy adults if necessary. The wildebeest is their preferred prey because of the amount of meat it provides - enough to feed 12 hyenas.
Unlike the big cats, hyenas rely less on cover and more on endurance when hunting. Once the victim has been selected, they chase it doggedly, sometimes for miles, snapping at its heels or biting its legs to slow it down. Since hyenas do not have retractable claws, they can't grip their prey and pull it to the ground as cats do. Instead, they rely on their powerful jaws and razor-sharp teeth to tear chunks of flesh from the prey until it falls to the ground.
Where lions inhabit the same area, hyenas compete somewhat for prey, although lions are more likely to kill healthy adults and prey weighing more than 550 pounds. Lions do steal a large portion of the hyena's kills.
The hyena resembles a canine in size and shape. It has a large head, long neck and rounded muzzle, and is about the [L3 502 / size] of a large dog. The forequarters are well-developed and the back slopes to the hind legs. The coat is dirty yellow with irregular dark brown oval spots and the hair on the neck and back is longer than the rest of the coat and resembles a mane. The genital development of the male and female is similar making casual sex identification difficult.
