Spotted Hyena hunting in Zambia

Spotted Hyenas also known as Laughing Hyenas, a name derived from the cackling sound they make when excited, are the only Hyena species found in Zambia. Spotted Hyenas were once found throughout Zambia but have been eradicated in the stock farming areas. Today, they can still be found on the outskirts of many villages and towns where they scavenge from rubbish dumps at night. Spotted Hyenas are mostly nocturnal animals. Most of their scavenging, hunting and clan territorial battles take place at night. On a hot day, Spotted Hyenas are not averse to taking a bath in a pool of water to avoid high daytime temperatures and associated flies and pests. Spotted Hyena clans are dominated by a female matriarch. Size-wise, females are larger than males and females have pseudo penises making them very difficult to sex in the field. They are usually hunted over bait in the early morning or at dusk. Spotted Hyenas are classified as a species of least concern by the IUCN.