Spotted hyenas in the Etoshapark

Spotted hyenas populate large areas of Africa. They are also called spotted hyenas and appear strange due to their external appearance, since their front legs are longer than the rear legs. Their four paws each end in 4 claw-reinforced toes on which the hyenas run (digitigrad). The animals live together in clans up to 130 members, which are dominated by the females. One of the most unusual features of the spotted hyena is the masculinization ("masculinization") of the females. The peculiarity of the anatomy of the external female genital organs was the subject of speculation until the 20th century. The barking laugh of the animals also gave them the English name: laughing hyena.