A "Miss"understood Predator

They are arguably the most underrated hunters in Africa. The Spotted Hyenas as a matter of fact are the most badass predators here. No prey is big enough when Spotted Hyenas, with one of the strongest bite forces among the terrestrials, latche on to it. Their greatest strength is in their number and can even give Lions, a run for their money when it comes to competition for food. They should probably be the only animals that can drive Lions off from their prey. Understandably, smaller predators like the Leopards, Cheetahs or the Wild Dogs are not even a match for them. 

Having said that they play one of the most important roles in the ecosystem along with the Vultures by taking care of eliminating the dead, decaying and rotten carcasses. They can devour carcasses that are days, sometimes weeks old, with no problems of digesting it. They could be seen in good numbers in Kruger National Park and it’s always a pleasure to get a glimpse of these animals in the wild

Dusk is the best time to watch these amazing predators as they come out of their dens.