The Insane Biology of: The Spotted Hyena

Watch the extended interview featuring Dr. Kay Holekamp - the leading expert on spotted hyenas: nebula.tv/videos/fieldnotes-s...
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Patreon: / realscience
Instagram: / stephaniesammann
Images Courtesy of Getty Images
Credits:
Narrator: Stephanie Sammann
Writer: Ashleen Knutsen
Editor: Dylan Hennessy (www.behance.net/dylanhennessy1)
Illustrator: Jacek Ambrożewski
Illustrator/Animator: Kirtan Patel (kpatart.com/illustrations)
Animator: Mike Ridolfi (www.moboxgraphics.com/)
Sound: Graham Haerther (haerther.net)
Thumbnail: Simon Buckmaster ( / forgottentowel )
Producer: Brian McManus ( / realengineering )
REFERENCES
[1] ielc.libguides.com/sdzg/facts....
[2] www.researchgate.net/figure/D...
[3]sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/20....
[4]commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
[5] ielc.libguides.com/sdzg/facts...
[6] academic.oup.com/biolinnean/a...
[7] www.researchgate.net/publicat...
[8]www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
[9] www.smithsonianmag.com/scienc....
[10] web.archive.org/web/201305060...
[11] www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
[12] journals.plos.org/plosone/art...
[13] journals.plos.org/plosone/art...
[14] besjournals.onlinelibrary.wil...
[15] sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/20...
[16] www.biorxiv.org/content/10.11...
[17] link.springer.com/article/10....
[18] www.uwyo.edu/news/2014/08/uw-...
[19] www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/blog/...

[@blondbraid7986]

It's fascinating how many completely different mammals naturally default to being led by an elderly matriarch, like orcas, elephants, mole rats, hyenas and englishmen.

[@orcapod200]

Not all hyenas are female dominated. I recommend reading from hyena project and " a king amoung queens". Djuma, Shambas clan are male dominated clans

[@fcv4616]

Lol. Englishmen

[@davidnotonstinnett]

Jokes aside, seems like an outgrowth of the immense investment that mammal mothers have to give. This leads to a selection pressure in social animals to protect females. The animals that bring the food to mom get fed more.

[@Leanzazzy]

​@@fcv4616I mean, the English are the OG simps. They are the ones who came up with "chivalry", replaced the vizier in chess with a "queen" and forced monogamy onto most of the world.

[@rickwilliams967]

Awesome

[@dljprogun]

Fun fact: In the mid 1990's a hyena research facility tried to sue The Walt Disney Company for portraying hyenas as morons. The court ruled in favor of Walt Disney under the grounds of "you can't sue someone for making fun of your favorite animal."

[@freedomm]

This was great

[@bubblingbubztheklown5902]

They portrayed them slightly correct. Since the 1 female orders the 2 males around and even knocks their heads together 😅 2 things I thought about while watching this "oh snaps the female was smarter and in charge"

[@MrMarinus18]

Though you can see a racist undertone in the depiction. Of the noble race of animals and the inferior undeserving race and what happened when Scar allowed the Hyena's in is kind of what many southern racists said would happen if the US stopped oppressing blacks. The very dark colors of the hyena's make the racist allegory even more clear. It's made clear that the social order is because of the Hyena's own inherent inferiority to lions and not because maybe Lions oppress Hyena's or something like that. In the end especially it's clear that banishing Hyena's out of the most fertile land and excluding them from animal society is the best thing to do. Kind of like how many said excluding blacks from prosperous areas was the best for everyone, including the blacks themselves.

[@chubbynut_0g]

@@MrMarinus18common film analysis L

[@Croz89]

​@@MrMarinus18I think you're seeing something that isn't there. Spotted Hyenas have an equally bad reputation among Indigenous Africans as they were portrayed in The Lion King.

[@sllizarrd]

Hyenas are also very excellent planners! They can decide what type of animal they are going to hunt beforehand, and will only send as many hyenas to hunt as are necessary to take that animal down! And when they are hunting this way, they will ignore other prey, and only go after the type they've already decided on. For them to be able to PLAN this is a major sign of intelligence, and that they can communicate this - what animal they will be going for, and how many/which hyenas to send - across such a large group of conspecifics is pretty amazing!

[@saechiledger]

Man, they are more disciplined than my guildmates when we are doing pvp and ganking.

[@pixelmaster98]

@@saechiledger clearly, you and your guildmates need to start eating your opponents if you win. That's obviously the only way to find the motivation to cooperate like this!

[@saechiledger]

@@pixelmaster98 maaaaaaaan 🤣

[@trulyeditzz]

they are so impressive, their power is amazing!!

[@dayoonman3264]

@sllizard, they can also do physics problems

[@lackofsins929]

The first researcher having witnessed the birth of a hyena must have had quite the shock at the time.

[@cupriferouscatalyst3708]

Yeah I was definitely not prepared to know that hyenas are futas

[@Sunflowersarepretty]

I am amazed at how complex their hierarchy is. Life as a hyena is not easy whether you're a female, a cub or even worse a male.

[@doktorhyena]

Females aren't always above all males. Males that stay with their natal clan are above any female their mother is above. About 15% do choose to stay, so this isn't a negligible figure. It's entirely their choice to leave or stay, there has never been any evidence to support the "kicked out" theory. Spotted hyenas lack notable sexual dimorphism, female and male hyenas overlap a ton in size.

[@SebstianMatosek-po2uw]

Not too dissimilar to us

[@orcapod200]

​@@SebstianMatosek-po2uw not all males are all bottom feeders

[@SebstianMatosek-po2uw]

@@orcapod200 all the bottom feeders turn into women

[@kaedaehara]

​@@SebstianMatosek-po2uwit's a lot easier to be a human male

[@cleverusername9369]

I like that The Lion King accurately depicted the female hyena Shenzi as being the one in charge

[@Killeroreodolphin]

A new atudy shows Mothers support their offspring during encounters with other hyenas. Young hyenas start initiating interactions with adult clan members from a very young age. If they approach a lower-ranking clan member, the mother supports them and shows dominant behaviour. If the opponent is higher-ranking, the mother does not interfere or shows submissive behaviour. Young cubs thereby quickly learn by observation who is above and who is below their mother (and themselves) within the clan hierarchy. This mechanism also works for siblings from different litters of the same mother. Dominance relationships in spotted hyenas are not a matter of gender, body size, or aggressiveness. Rather, they are determined by the number of social allies one can rely on. Hyena mothers are the fiercest and most reliable allies; they support their young - daughters and sons - against members of lower-ranking matrilines and thereby ensure they hold the social rank right below their own. esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fee.2441 hyena-project.com/2020/12/21/stress-and-reproduction/ hyena-project.com/2022/10/02/female-power-and-aggression/ hyena-project.com/research-topics/why-males-disperse/#:~:text=Male%20competitors%3A%20young%20males%20are,response%20to%20female%20mate%20preferences. hyena-project.com/research-topics/rank-inheritance hyena-project.com/research-topics/why-males-disperse www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1501236

[@goomba8170]

One of the very few things they kept accurate

[@KoopstaKlicca]

​​@@goomba8170it's a cartoon lion rendition of Hamlet 💀 what do you want from it lol

[@MimiCheckinfakeheaux]

@@goomba8170it actually wasn’t going well I be accurate at fort. Whoopi Goldberg was the second choice. The first voice actor they wanted to use was a male. Happy they went with Whoopi so they could at least get that right lol. But some hyena packs are actually lead by males.

[@MimiCheckinfakeheaux]

@@KoopstaKliccalol!

[@terramater]

Hyenas are so cool! As you guys mentioned, brown hyenas are scavengers, but our crew got footage of them on Namibia's coast, and they aren't just that. There, they actually hunt seals!

[@Killeroreodolphin]

I recommend reading from hyena project and "a king amoung queens" , its interesting

[@JagoShogun]

spotted orcapod@@Killeroreodolphin

[@MrAtlantafalcon]

My spotted hyena story. January 2019. I’m in Limpopo Provence, on the veranda of my Rondoval at 3AM, alone. Manyeleti Game Reserve (fenceless border to Kruger NP). My friend (native South African) and his wife had gone to bed in the Rondoval next door. Before he retired to bed, he placed a foldable camp chair on it’s side in the “entranceway” to the narrow veranda. We had seen hyena coming near camp the last two evenings, always near the edge of darkness. I laughed as he was placing this shoddy blockade, and said, “What is that for? That’s not going to stop a leopard or a hyena.” Dead serious, he said, “It might give you time to scream for help.” I laughed it off, because I’m a stupid American in Africa. He heads to bed. 3 AM rolls around and I’m sitting there on the veranda. I catch something out of the corner of my eye, just beyond the “barricade chair”, 10’ away. I see the silhouette of hair over powerful shoulder blades creeping confidently past the entrance, and my blood goes cold. Deadly silent. She comes around the corner and stands broadside 10’ in front of me, with a 2’ tiny wall separating us. Looks me dead in my eyes like, “Hmm. What should I do with you?” I’ve been charged by a bull elephant in musth, which is a rush of a lifetime, but I have never felt smaller and more subject to a deadly animal’s decision than when that 180 lbs. female hyena locked eyes with me, and considered her options. I flew back to the states with a much greater respect, and interest in, hyenas. She made me recognize, with stealth and authority, and allowed me to keep living.

[@lindantsie7924]

I’m glad you lived to tell this story unharmed, I’m South African I’d have gone to bed when they did😂

[@rambi1072]

That's crazy. As a European I would have thought the same, like "well yeah I'm sure they're dangerous but I'm bigger than they are so I could over power it." But knowing that they can be 80kg(!) and have a bite force twice that of a lion definitely changed my perspective. There probably wouldn't be much I could do without a weapon, even then it wouldn't be good. Even great Danes can only barely reach 80kg

[@GeteMachine]

The bite and way Hyena's can crush bones and eat if not most of the animals they hunt, makes Scar's death a lot worse than you'd think. They pretty much crushed him up and ate everything.

[@MedusaMaple]

20... 30 feral hogs

[@errhka]

What an incredible animal - and a wonderful example of how 'fit' traits that evolve are selected for through a variety of factors. And that these traits aren't necessarily the 'best' - just that they were 'good enough' for their niche. I had the pleasure (or displeasure depending on how you see it) of getting up close and personal with some hyenas at Out of Africa Park in Arizona (highly recommend btw) and them following you along the fence line cackling to themselves is one of the eeriest things I've ever experienced. I admire them greatly from afar!

[@ashthefan179]

I love Out of Africa! Have been there multiple times and the Hyenas have always been my favorite. The male moo'ed back at me once x) They are such awesome creatures.

[@metalcake2288]

I don't think the trait is good enough, I think it works better than anything else in their niche. It's the best

[@koalasquare2145]

What about the Hyena's that we haven't spotted yet?

[@lanieschatz]

Criminally underrated pun

[@13donstalos]

GOTEEEM!

[@chiefnama790]

Well done!!!

[@deboralee1623]

Bah-dum-dum-tsss!

[@zepeterinma]

I got some paint and stencils, we can spot them and then spot them. Anyone down for a field trip to west Africa? Thinking of starting with the brown ones that live near the coast.

[@plops993]

I remember my first impression of hyenas was at a particular zoo that had some. I was there right at the fence as they were being fed and my two takeaways were: 1. Wow they are a LOT bigger than I thought, and 2. That laugh is so much louder and more ominous in person. If I was in Africa and that noise was surrounding me at night I would be shitting bricks

[@Dave....]

Wow my whole perspective on hyenas has changed completely. Really great story and research!

[@Killeroreodolphin]

Most info are outdated. Hyena project and "a king amoung queens" debunks this and science org " why do some males stay while other males disperse"

[@Ze_Moose]

I still support Simba. Sorry but not sorry

[@k-dog7013]

Very cool as usual! I’d love to hear about African Hunting Dogs. From what I know they have possibly the most advanced hunting methods of any pack animal with individuals acting in different positions over great distances, and they are intelligent enough that they even take a community vote every day on whether or not to hunt.

[@bri1085]

I think you're mixing them up with the Wild dog, which is among the most effective hunter, with chimps pretty much being the only animals that are more sucessfull hunters. Granted Hyenas hunt in a similar manner to wild dogs, which is basically run the prey down until it can't run anymore.

[@No.Good.Nickname]

Voting dogs in Afrika sounds extremely cool.

[@joanborrelli8307]

Isn't the correct name Painted Dogs instead of Wild Dogs ? I saw a documentary where the dogs were being caught and moved to a sanctuary and the project was called the Painted Dog project. The people in the documentary stated the correct name is Painted Dog. I never heard that before and unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the documentary.

[@bri1085]

@@joanborrelli8307 painted dog is a more recent name, it's apparently better optics for foreign audiences.

[@levipeterken4020]

Pretty sure African Hunting dog and the Wild dog are the same thing@@bri1085

[@Jayson_Tatum]

Just to correct one point: the Hyena isn't necessarily "larger" than wolves, just heavier. Wolves are longer and taller, but much more lean, so they don't weigh as much. General size wise, they're pretty much equal.

[@Coolkemo88]

She said as large or larger

[@miquelescribanoivars5049]

Height is solely dependent on where it measured, though, some very large gray wolves (remember they're size varies greatly depending on populations), might be taller at the whithers and around as tall at the shoulders, but a spotted hyena would still reach greater height when rearing its head. Also for the record, in discussions about ecology, mass is 95% of the times the metric use to define size. Have you seen anyone claim that a chain of salps is larger than a blue whale?

[@Damop17]

“Technically” 🥸🥸🥸🥸 lmao

[@DarrkMane]

Size = overall mass, weight. Height just means longer. So, hyenas are larger. You're telling me a jaguar is smaller than a mountain lion or a cheetah just because of longer limbs?

[@squidikka]

@@Damop17 It's a science channel, you lost?

[@Bitchslapper316]

I read a lot of research on hyenas when I was younger. After the reading I've never seen them as cowardly or any of that. They are the most terrifying land animal in my opinion.

[@user-nu8in3ey8c]

I remember seeing somewhere that some gangs in Africa kept hyenas they "domesticated". Being that they are a social animal it makes sense, I still think there is a high probability that their handlers could be killed by their own animals.

[@B1TKZH47]

Being a hyena is like being a member of the mafia - they can be hard on each other, even kill each other, but they wouldn't have it any other way. They love it.

[@magbee6370]

the lion king has ruined people's perception of these adorable crazy creatures. it makes me so sad to hear how negative they were described at the beginning :(

[@hyenaclan19]

Hyena project, esajornals (a king amoung queens) and science org (why some males stay home while others disperse) by science org are also good info on hyenas

[@darbyfleig]

It’s just like Jaws and peoples unrealistic fear of sharks! We gotta be careful how we portray animals in media and entertainment because it could end up literally pushing amazing animals to extinction because of our opinions of them. v-v

[@theneedle6785]

Hyenas have had a bad rap for centuries. In some parts of Africa they are considered evil and associated with witches.

[@tonyhawksproskater2406]

Lion King reinforced a common stereotype, it was here before. In fact, Wolves used to be just as hated as Hyenas for most of human history, and Wolves are still widely hated by the older generations due to damage they do to livestock and because they kill dogs. However recent portrayal of Wolves in popular culture such as movies, video games, and books has made some people, especially the younger generation love Wolves and have many people defending them now. Hyenas on the other hand in popular culture, well the Lion King as you said, not a positive portrayal

[@A_Random_Shroob]

​@@tonyhawksproskater2406Agreed. I think it would've been so much better if Dreamwork's The Bad Guys had a hyena instead of a wolf

[@tobiasedwards2643]

I would love to see more videos about the other hyena species.

[@nathanlevesque7812]

3:45 That was worded weirdly, but Jaguar bite force is 1500 psi and they crack skulls as a killing method. There are some other predators that incidentally break bones (crocodilians 2000-5000 psi), but would swallow their prey whole wherever possible.

[@samrizzardi2213]

I think she was referring to the fact that hyenas habitually _consume_ bone. A jaguar can pierce bone with its canines, but its back teeth have the typical felid design optimised for shearing meat

[@soulevans77]

This came at a perfect time, I was doing my own personal research on Hyenas just a few days ago.

[@abody499]

the scientific literature is where to do personal research, not yt.

[@soulevans77]

@@abody499 100% but I also watched this video

[@jaybrett99]

@@abody499shut up

[@abody499]

that's good then you'll be able to spot all the mistakes in this video

[@Killeroreodolphin]

​@@soulevans77 males can get a rank aswell A new atudy shows Mothers support their offspring during encounters with other hyenas. Young hyenas start initiating interactions with adult clan members from a very young age. If they approach a lower-ranking clan member, the mother supports them and shows dominant behaviour. If the opponent is higher-ranking, the mother does not interfere or shows submissive behaviour. Young cubs thereby quickly learn by observation who is above and who is below their mother (and themselves) within the clan hierarchy. This mechanism also works for siblings from different litters of the same mother. Dominance relationships in spotted hyenas are not a matter of gender, body size, or aggressiveness. Rather, they are determined by the number of social allies one can rely on. Hyena mothers are the fiercest and most reliable allies; they support their young - daughters and sons - against members of lower-ranking matrilines and thereby ensure they hold the social rank right below their own. esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fee.2441 hyena-project.com/2020/12/21/stress-and-reproduction/ hyena-project.com/2022/10/02/female-power-and-aggression/ hyena-project.com/research-topics/why-males-disperse/#:~:text=Male%20competitors%3A%20young%20males%20are,response%20to%20female%20mate%20preferences. hyena-project.com/research-topics/rank-inheritance hyena-project.com/research-topics/why-males-disperse www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1501236

[@andreileontev8497]

I love insane biology on this channel! I suggest crocodiles if u receive suggestions

[@sousa1534]

I love "the insane biology of" series! always so informative and visually pleasant! One of 2 KZbin channels I actually activated the bell (the other one being Jonathan Birds Blue World) Thank you!

[@ronniemcintosh4547]

I like this one and casual geographic, dude is hilarious

[@orcapod200]

​@@ronniemcintosh4547 this is outdated tho

[@LazarusStr]

This was such a great episode! My Mum and I just went to the zoo and viewed two spotted Hyenas. We didn’t know they were that large! I was aware of some facts you spoke of but was still surprised, as usual, by the additional facts you’ve shared in this episode. I always appreciate the in depth reporting/storytelling you do on this channel. Your videos are some of my favorites because of this 🤩 Can’t wait for the future videos ❤ #LoveTheNaturalWorld

[@lorenzomeloni6088]

Extremely well-made breakdown of one of my favorite animals. Thank you!!

[@rosebrown6128]

Thanks so much for an interesting and informative video. Stephanie your reading voice is clear and well paced. ❤️ That is very important for the listener to absorb the facts.

[@DracowolfieDen]

It's so fascinating to hear this and then think about how our species might be described in terms of brutality. We can be absolutely insanely brutal in many ways, but we also care the most about other species.

[@Maleboligia]

I learned a ton and I really like the format, thank you very much!

[@milenadembczynska2490]

I would love for you to make a video on parrots like African greys or cockatoos. They're fascinating. Intelligent, with complex social lives and of course their ability to replicate sounds to a scary degree

[@callumclark3358]

Don’t forget the Norwegian Blue!

[@jujuforjesus]

Cockatoos are cool. I like mina birds and toucans tbh all birds .God bless you

[@toddduchesne1749]

This was so INSANE! The biology of the Hyena is just INSANE! I didn't know what INSANE was before this video! How is it possible for anything to be so INSANE??!!!

[@riot6721]

Amazing video, and thanks for the background info about the ppl that put so much effort and dedication to studying these animals.

[@PNW-Twelve]

This is easily the best series on youtube.

[@Mark-wx8ne]

It would be great if the people pointing out errors in the comments would link a research paper to prove what they're saying rather than just saying the video is wrong.

[@orcapod200]

I recommend reading from hyena project, esajournals "a king amoung queens", and science org on Why do some males choose to breed at home when most other males disperse?

[@blahanger4304]

I never thought they were creepy, just very dangerous. I think I even read an article by Kay Holekamp a very long time ago, it only had one foto I think so this vid was really cool.

[@ashthefan179]

I've always thought Hyenas were so cool. One of my favorite memories is when moo'ed back at me at a sanctuary I visited.

[@mgratk]

That might have been a bovine.

[@jinstinky501]

So good. How do you do it? Every video is fantastic, thank-you!

[@Toubabou]

Incredible lucky sightings once in Kruger park. My son notice a shade under the tree, we witnessed a hyena giving birth with support. It was unreal

[@Davidesonar449]

THE best series on youtube. fantastic watch thanks again THANKS

[@jerrysstories711]

When I was in Malawi, some men in the village killed a hyena and buried it. I asked why they didn't eat it. They were disgusted, and my host asked, "Do you want to eat a bowl of spiders?"

[@l-kin3480]

Why would anyone anywhere on earth eat a hyena?

[@jerrysstories711]

@@l-kin3480 because it's Africa, and some areas are still very prone to famine. In Malawi, the name for the hot dry season that we would call Summer is "Hunger".

[@jerrysstories711]

​@@l-kin3480 I was there in the harvest season where there was plenty of food, so I can understand them not eating the hyena.

[@l-kin3480]

@@jerrysstories711 well I'm African myself. Never heard of anyone eating hyenas even during famines. I've seen people starve plenty of times on TV but never resort to eating hyenas. How would they trap them anyway at such a time?

[@jerrysstories711]

@@l-kin3480 Well, people do eat hyena meat in Somalia, and not just in famine times. But I don't know how you catch hyenas during famine. I was in Malawi in harvest season, so there was plenty of food, they killed that hyena because hyenas had stolen a goat and some chickens recently. But my hosts' grandparents had to kill lions with spears, so I'm pretty sure they could kill a hyena if they needed to.

[@theoriginalmakaaka101]

I think the Peccary has one of the most terrifying jaws I've seen. It's like a mix between tusks and canines in shape.

[@Dretroz]

Been binging these types of videos while I recover from a back injury. Great content very educational!!

[@artawhirler]

I was just thinking about you today and hoping I would see another video from you soon! Thanks!

[@ulrikewatson7259]

Thank you so much for this documentary. I learnt so much from it, super interesting

[@orcapod200]

its a bit outdated

[@mopemope1]

Love the content! just a small correction -> at 4:00 Lion being 60% the force of a Hyena ≠ Hyena being 40% more force than a Lion. On the graph you showed the Hyena is 75% more force than a Lion. Same logic goes for the Hyena - Grizzly comparison.

[@bobfoster687]

Math is hard!

[@steakknives]

This is one of the best documentaries I've ever seen!

[@alexandershockey901]

i suggested this video a year ago and someone told me it was a bad idea!!! so happy y’all did this!!!

[@newtonstan2113]

I love this series

[@orcapod200]

Actually there are flaws in this video. A male can be a high ranking aswell if he is born in the high ranking female and can inherit. Not all males are immigrants some males actually stay in their family and become a high ranking leader aswell. Hyenas dont use aggression to dominate but by social support and hyenas are actually based on bloodlines than immigrants. A male can also outrank a female. I recommend reading Hyena project and "a king amoung queens"

[@ofmyownaccord]

I was wondering about that. Like what is the evolutionary purpose of hyena males if they're all doomed to be subservient little cucks. Makes a lot more sense now. haha

[@lissettelopez9678]

i think she briefly mentioned the first part about the males. Also thanks for the recomendation, i was feeling sad for the males 😅

[@dannyeugenewaits9486]

Jewiz you done a fantastic job making this documentary!!! Cheers from Montana!

[@ArtofFreeSpeech]

Well, count me as always thinking differently about hyenas than most people. These animals have always fascinated me and I've always had a positive view of them, though this video has easily made it even more positive. Great job. I learned a lot.

[@AB-un4io]

I’ve always been fond of Hyenas. I think I understood at a young age that it wasn’t okay to judge an animal based on how humans feel like they behave as compared to human ideals.Humans can’t even reach their human ideals. Also, this animal, like most other animals, are very specialized creatures. Very highly specialized. They’re built and they vocalize nearly perfectly for their needs. It’s an incredibly risky life! Wonderfully interesting animals. ❤ Thanks so much!! 🙂🫶🏼

[@ReclaimerX]

I would really like an acknowledgement of the comment pointing out several serious errors with the given information.

[@maeveriden8887]

...which is that?

[@GerSanRiv]

This seems well made, you earned a sub.

[@reubencaldwell8494]

I was waiting for this video for so long.

[@davidegaruti2582]

Crazy biology of the tarantula hawk wasp ? Those gals are incredible

[@doktorhyena]

So there's a few issues right off the bat: 1. When hunting solo, they actually go after animals 3X their mass very often (wildebeest and topi in particular) and do 75% of their hunting alone. 2. Brown hyenas aren't obligate scavengers and are capable of hunting smaller prey. 3. Females aren't always above all males. Males that stay with their natal clan are above any female their mother is above. About 15% do choose to stay, so this isn't a negligible figure. 4. Spotted hyenas lack any notable sexual dimorphism, female and male hyenas overlap a ton in size. 5. Males don't always leave, and it is their choice to leave or stay. Females don't kick them out. 6. Siblicide is very rare among hyena cubs. While I do appreciate your attempt to make an educational video, you've used the same myths that we've known are false for over three decades now. The Ngorongoro Hyena Project would be another great group to chat with, Zambia Carnivore Programme too.

[@warrenarnold]

Hollywood has its hands everywhere the narrative has already been fixed

[@doktorhyena]

@@warrenarnoldYeah it really sucks

[@SomeMortyDude]

So most of the info in this vid is wrong?

[@user-nb2lw4vj2z]

If u r true, then this video is getting disliked

[@mymom1462]

bruh wtf that is a lot of errors

[@livestrongforever]

like always this was eye-opening, fascinating, and interesting

[@Bigmeatlover]

Great video, I love these types of vids. Could you do one on peregrine falcon?

[@benchapple1583]

A pack of hyenas can see off a lioness but I have seen footage of a pack of them confronting a single lion. It didn't end well. Thank you for a very interesting video.

[@orcapod200]

Some are outdated information

[@canis2020]

Painted dogs, if I remember correctly, has the highest success rate for kills, AND they are stunning. Yet they are hardly covered.

[@prozac2173]

Unfortunately, they are endegered species and not hyenas. Their nesting grounds are destroyed by human activity and their population declines quickly. I would love to see more videos about them, so people can learn about this magnificent animal

[@bri1085]

On land only chimps are more successful, but chimpanzees don't hunt as much, and I'm pretty sure are a lot more selective.

[@TsunamiBeefPies]

Fascinating, as always. This channel never fails to amaze and astound me. I knew some of this, but I also learned a lot by watching your video. I can only wonder, though, about the censorship of hyena mating. Was this a KZbin demand? I would think that because the mating of hyenas is so vastly different from mating in any other mammal species, it would be crucial to actually be able to see it. Describing it, and showing colorful diagrams doesn't seem to give us the whole picture. I'm sorry if that sounds lurid, but I really think that this is some fairly vital information. No matter what, though, thank you for all the marvelous work you do, Real Science team!

[@orcapod200]

This is actually outdated. I recommend reading hyena project and "a king amoung queens"

[@NJBiggs77]

I am going to Kenya in January! I can't wait to see some of these amazing creatures in the wild!

[@abody499]

1:27 "largely because they don't operate alone" - this is false. Hyenas often hunt alone because it allows them to be more inconspicuous and pick off young antelope hiding in the grass, moreover, ensuring they don't have their meal taken by the rest of the clan. They are very hierarchical and many clan members must hunt alone to survive because the scraps they'd get otherwise wouldn't be enough.

[@doktorhyena]

That's right! When hunting alone, it's not at all rare for them to go for animals up to 3 times their body mass such as wildebeest and topi. They do about 75% of their hunts solo!

[@Killeroreodolphin]

Exactly

[@nathanlevesque7812]

The bite force chart was also weird for excluding Jaguars at 1500 psi

[@TheBritishGuy75]

Finally somebody who actually knows stuff about hyenas instead of just made up bs

[@shibomi1]

So knick-picky, it was mentioned at 6:17 that they can hunt solo

[@issaphae9659]

male hyenas are literally the kens in barbieland lmao

[@Killeroreodolphin]

Hyenas actually opperate like ancient king and queens and not all are female dominated. Males can be alpha if their high ranking mom dies. Djuma and Shambas clan are male dominated clan and not all males leave their clan. Female hyenas arent as aggressive in a new study by hyena project "𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘴" Hyena project and esajournals "𝘢 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘴" are good info aswell as scienceorg " 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘥𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺"

[@michaelmassaro4375]

Very thorough informational video about Hyenas covering many aspects of the animals life thank you

[@John-ih2bx]

Very informative. Thank you.

[@amalb5230]

#Leo Subramani 💥🔥💥

[@mokomdane4297]

I too use to fall victim of underestimating this animal. Thank you for the eye opener.

[@mike902]

Please explain in detail how you have been a "victim of underestimating" spotted hyenas. You either have a great story or went about saying you didnt know much about them in a really weird way.

[@camerongrow6426]

I've been hoping we'd get a hyena video from this channel

[@stephencummins7589]

Fascinating narrative,thank you.

[@blankslate6393]

Fantastic documentary. Thanks guys. The imagery and naration was superb. Immenstly informative.

[@orcapod200]

Not all males are screwed. I recommend reading from hyena project and esajournals "a king amoung queens". Hyena society actually works like a ancient king and queens do

[@toomanyspreedsheets9802]

Ugly?!? That's one of the cutest animals I've ever seen!

[@TheTELproductions]

The baby hyenas look like tiny bears or something

[@KoopstaKlicca]

I always thought they were ugly cute 😭

[@gothicsloth4552]

They're like big puppies I really wanna cuddle one 🥺

[@MimiCheckinfakeheaux]

I don’t see how a person would think that hyenas are ugly. Especially juvenile ones. They are cute. And lions steal their food mostly not the other way around

[@kenmuchiri6283]

That explanation on how they mate kinda clears up the air coz I was struggling to get how they do it.😂😂😂😂😂😂 Fascinating sleeve-like action

[@user-gc7rx3nc7o]

Thank you for this exciting video.

[@radolfkalis4041]

I seem to remember, MANY years ago, decades even, Spotted Hyenas WERE near the bottom of the hunter list, mostly scavenging, because of relatively low numbers. IIR, there was a massive outbreak of anthrax among hippos, and the scavenging spotted hyenas population exploded off those dead hippos.

[@Student_Of_Life09]

We have them here in Zambia, but I didn't know that they aren't a dog specie.

[@00HoODBoy]

Fantastic video. Strange but beautiful

[@francus7227]

Wow.... A nice and informative clip with a real narrator....

[@Marcin9200]

I Love hyenas, and i wanted a video about their biology for such a long time

[@orcapod200]

some of this are a bit outdated

[@Marcin9200]

Thats why i made the second comment

[@jaywaii3187]

This is great inspiration to help me develop the gnoll society in my D&D campaign (called "dabyun" from Arab writer al-Qazwīnī (1204-1283) book that spoke of 'hyena people'). Thank you for your work!

[@mariusmacas380]

Love the video ❤ thank you

[@peppermintnightmare4741]

Truly fascinating

[@FuckYouWhosNext]

I wish i had stuff like this as a kid!! Great footage, information and presentation! I like how you explain things and your Insane biology series ROCKS!!

[@latheofheaven1017]

Hey RealScience. I'd be really interested in a video about how cold-blooded fish like herring, cod, haddock etc. can be constantly active in cold seas that cold-blooded reptiles - if they fell in - would go into torpor and drown in. Indeed, that unlucky humans freeze and drown in due to the cold. If so many cold-blooded fish species can be energetically active in cold water, why have no terrestrial reptiles evolved with a similar constitution? Instead, they have to rely on warm weather to be active.

[@cleverusername9369]

Insulating layers of fat

[@caimansaurus5564]

@@cleverusername9369 insulation doesn't do anything for a cold-blooded animal. insulation is for preserving body heat, which a cold-blooded animal by definition doesn't generate enough of to matter.

[@kaiokryvoss1473]

Cold blooded is a bit overly simple. What’s really happening is varying levels of thermoregulation- aka regulating body temperature. Mammals or “warm blooded” creatures have body processes , also known as BMR-Base Metabolic Rate- that is substantially higher than that of reptiles. This generates heat and lets us maintain homeostasis. I forget the part of our brain that regulates that but it’s definitely super important. It’s part of why thyroid issues are lethal if untreated. So when we encounter cold water, it basically fucks with us because our bodies are adapted to remain in a certain temperature range with a bit of tolerance. Exterior temperatures that too greatly surpass these ranges , like freezing water or sweltering heat, are detrimental to us because we just aren’t built to handle them. The heat kills cuz it makes us hotter on top of our BMR , which we cannot stop because it’s effectively the sum of all of our body essential body functions, and cold water makes our bodies too cold to handle it. The same applies for all “warm blooded” creatures. Most Reptiles (but not all) don’t have high BMR so A lot of reptiles evolve to have behaviors that affect their temperature externally like basking in the sun to warm up, seeking out shade to cool down etc. So no animal is “warm” or “cold blooded”, just having varying levels of thermoregulation. Even then, the same applies for them. Too hot, they suffer, too cold, they suffer. They exist within a limited range of temperatures. That Fish species likely evolved antifreeze proteins or some other adaptation to handle that cold water , or maybe they have really efficient scales that trap heat and a high BMR overall. Idk lol but I hope this clarifies or answers part of your question. Edited for Typos

[@umarazeez4352]

Who’s here after Leo movie 😅

[@mikewood8561]

Idk why but wild animals fascinate me. I've watched thousands of videos about them all.

[@egillskallagrimson5879]

great video I always find hyenas fascinating and unfairly demonised when they are deserving of their own kind of admiration

[@praveenrao4561]

leo🔥

[@Z4KIUS]

"why spotted hyenas evolved to have such a hard reproduction" meanwhile humans

[@bri1085]

Did you not watch the video? they're giving birth through a penis.

[@drewlovely2668]

I think hyenas have it a little bit worse than we do......

[@Z4KIUS]

@@drewlovely2668 probably the only mammals that have it worse than us

[@Killeroreodolphin]

​@@Z4KIUS hyena project and esajournals "a king amoung queens" debunks that

[@RichardHarlos]

Informative, interesting video. As an aside, that neck wound at 17:57 looks wicked.

[@f1remandg]

Incredible information busting myths and allowing our brains to accept that we don’t know it all, but by doing what you and other researchers and scientists do along with understanding, as with everything, we will advance quicker and allow for more safe experiments that will benefit all living things!

[@thanosdarkseid]

Subramani fans assemble🔥🔥🔥

[@venkatavaradhankrishnan8539]

😂😂😂

[@abishekvasanth3500]

Cha naan tha lataa , namaku munnadiyae namma payaluga vanthutainga😂😂

[@brainknapper]

Leoooo🔥

[@rajjackson9995]

😅

[@sreejeshmenonable]

😊

[@A3319]

Some male hyenas do stay in their birth clan. In fact, its possible for male hyenas to gain rank over females in some instances. Lone hyenas are also entirely capable of taking down large prey, like Topis for example. So its not nearly that bad for outskirt klans. IIRC, Hyenas usually hunt solo or in small groups

[@Killeroreodolphin]

Exactly

[@hyenaclan19]

This

[@JoePesty]

very interesting, thanks for your research

[@atis9061]

thank you for a well-written video without much (or any) verbage

[@syedtalhanoor7361]

Don't Tasmanian Devils have similar bone crushing jaws?

[@bri1085]

It's Australia, they aren't really crushing the bones of particularly large animals which makes things a little easier.

[@TheBritishGuy75]

Hyena Myths: Females don't dominate males. They dominate other females. Males and females have their own separate hierarchies. The male hierarchy is a queue and therefore a lot more peaceful. That's why male hyenas are typically less aggressive. Female hyenas are a lot more aggressive as their hierarchy is based on dominance, strength, and power. Now yes, it is true that when you are a cub you inherit your mother's rank (due to male hyenas being absent fathers). However, this rank isn't fixed. When males reach sexual maturity, they can either decide to stay in their birth clan, become a scout, join the male hierarchy in their birth clan, and choose to not mate (or mate with the lower ranking unrelated females). Although, most males decide to leave so that they can mate with high ranking unrelated females. When they join a new clan, they join the male hierarchy there and become the lowest ranked there. They'll have to wait until males higher up die in order to gain rank. Or, in very rare occasions, they could decide to just try and dominate higher ranking males. However, that would most likely lead to them getting teamed on and killer by every other male. It's also a big misconception that hyenas do everything together like a wolf pack. Hyenas are only in clans because of male lions and lion prides. If lions were solitary and male lions didn't exist (or were the same power as a lioness), hyenas would have no need to be in clans and they would become the most dominant predator (they kinda already are). Hyenas are more than capable of hunting large prey alone (such as impala, oryx, zebra, buffalo, elephant calves, giraffe calves, rhino claves, wildebeest, topi, hartebeest, etc). Lone hyenas are more than capable of defending their kills from wild dog packs, leopards, lionesses (if they're alone), cheetahs, etc. Lone hyenas are also more than capable of stealing kills from those other predators as well. Male lions and the fact that lions live in prides are the sole reason as to why hyenas are group animals. Yes some other benefits come with it as well like making it easier to raise your cubs and not having to worry about other hyenas as much but those are the main reasons. One other misconception about hyenas is that a females pseudopenis has anything to do with mating. It doesn't (no females do not peg males lol). The pseudopenis looks a bit different from a normal male penis (specifically in the head as a pseuodpenis has a much larger opening in the head than a normal male penis). The pseudopenis is used to urinate and to give birth. That's it. Another myth about hyenas is that females are much larger and stronger than male hyenas. Again, that's completely false. While it is technically true that females are larger than males. That size difference is only 10%. And that 10% is ALL FAT. That extra fat is used for their milk (which is why hyena milk is some of the richest and best milk and also why hyenas grow so fast). That's why lots of female hyenas look "fatter" and "bigger" at the belly than males. Everything else like length, height, etc is all the exact same between genders. Weight only has a slight 10% difference. In terms of strength, it's entirely based on the individual but overall they're the exact same. A healthy female vs a healthy male are the exact same strength, height, length, and the female has a 10% extra fat weight advantage. Those are the size/strenght differences (practically none). Overall, don't spread lies about hyenas.

[@hungVN2610]

A lot of sources (even TED) said that the females are stronger than the males due to higher ranking, better fed and higher testosterone (which helps them build muscles) so I would like to know why was it a myth though? Is there any source I can look into to explain the differences in strength between male and female hyenas as well as the (supposed) male hierarchy?

[@Killeroreodolphin]

​@@hungVN2610 no, females dominate because of social support. Most males leave their clan to join a newer and sacrifice their rank. I recommend reading from hyena project, they study hyenas and "a king amoung queens"

[@Killeroreodolphin]

​@@hungVN2610 i also recommend reading " why some males breed at home, while others disperse" by science org

[@Killeroreodolphin]

​@@hungVN2610 actually hyenas opperate like ancient kings and queens, by bloodline and males do get the rank aswell. Read about Shambas clan or Dejuma's

[@hungVN2610]

@@Killeroreodolphin Interesting. I never knew that hyenas stay in power thanks to support from their relatives rather than power, strength, or ranking. However, the ESA journals said that "Cases like Majani’s are not rare but they often go unnoticed because kings rarely stay in power for long. Like other males, kings usually disperse after reaching sexual maturity, leaving the throne to a sister." so I do wonder why they can't cling to their thrones and have to pass it on to their female siblings. Perhaps it is a fixed social structure for the hyenas? Nevertheless pretty intriguing.

[@The-KP]

Great video. Really interesting biology.

[@haroldb1856]

Hyenas may not be the most sympathetic of creatures, but they make up for it with their unique and fascinating biology and social behaviours. Their tough, pragmatic attitude commands respect.

[@Killeroreodolphin]

Some info of thus is outdated. I recommend reading from hyena project and "a king amoung queens"

[@Killeroreodolphin]

A new atudy shows Mothers support their offspring during encounters with other hyenas. Young hyenas start initiating interactions with adult clan members from a very young age. If they approach a lower-ranking clan member, the mother supports them and shows dominant behaviour. If the opponent is higher-ranking, the mother does not interfere or shows submissive behaviour. Young cubs thereby quickly learn by observation who is above and who is below their mother (and themselves) within the clan hierarchy. This mechanism also works for siblings from different litters of the same mother. Dominance relationships in spotted hyenas are not a matter of gender, body size, or aggressiveness. Rather, they are determined by the number of social allies one can rely on. Hyena mothers are the fiercest and most reliable allies; they support their young - daughters and sons - against members of lower-ranking matrilines and thereby ensure they hold the social rank right below their own. esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fee.2441 hyena-project.com/2020/12/21/stress-and-reproduction/ hyena-project.com/2022/10/02/female-power-and-aggression/ hyena-project.com/research-topics/why-males-disperse/#:~:text=Male%20competitors%3A%20young%20males%20are,response%20to%20female%20mate%20preferences. hyena-project.com/research-topics/rank-inheritance hyena-project.com/research-topics/why-males-disperse www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1501236