Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crotuta) occur throughout sub-Saharan Africa, but their density varies widely across this area, high densities occur in the Serengeti and especially the Ngorongoro crater in Tanzania. Crocuta crocuta is the most numerous large predator in the Serengeti. Spotted hyena's are common in many types of open, dry habitat including semi-desert, savannah, acacia bush, and mountainous forest. This hyena has a sandy, yellowish or gray coat with black or dark brown spots over most of his body. The spots are darkest in younger animals and can be almost completely absent in very old animals. A male weight about 40 to 60 kg whereas females weigh 55 to over 70 kg. They are strongly built, with a massive neck and large head topped by rounded ears.The jaws are probably the strongest in relation to size of any mammal. The front legs are longer than the hind legs, which gives the back a slightly odd, downward slope. The feet have four digits with short, non-retractable claws. the genitalia of females are almost indistinguishable from those of males. Females usually bear twins although 1 to 4 young are possible, the newborns being born with their eyes open and are almost entirely black. They form social groups called clans, a clan may be composed of 3 to 80 members. Although spotted hyaenas live in clans, more often the clan members forage alone or in small groups.The members of a clan are only observed all together in circumstances like kills and defending the territory. Hyaenas have a reputation for being mostly scavengers, however, this is not accurate. A study found out that 70 % of the diet was composed of direct kills. They often chases the prey for long distances at speeds up to 60 km/hr, about one chase is known that it lasted 24 km before the prey was captured.

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