Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta)

The Spotted or Laughing Hyena are moderately large, terrestrial carni-vores native to sub-Saharan Africa. The spotted hyena is a powerful hunter. The majority of its nourishment being derived from live prey. Spotted hyenas are the most common predator in sub-saharan Africa, living in grassland savannas.

Physical Characteristics
It ranges in body length from 95 to 150 centimeters, and stands from 75 to 90 centimeters at the shoulder. The normal weight range for the male (who is usually more lightly built than the female) is 36 to 55 kilograms while the females normally weigh from 48 to 55 kilograms. The fur's background colour is a cream to light brown, with irregular dark spots that fade with age. The muzzle is black. They have long, heavily muscled necks, lined with a coarse mane of reversed fur. Hyenas have extremely strong jaws in relation to their body size. With its large pyramid shaped molars it easily crushes bone, even those of elephants.