Once thought to be solitary, recent studies have shown that in some areas striped hyenas live in small groups of one female and several males. Primarily nocturnal or crepuscular, they rest out of sight during the day in a natural cave or a burrow dug into the hillside. Hyenas have even been known to take over another animal’s den. None too tidy, its lair will be littered with leftover bones!

The striped hyena’s social structure may provide some advantage in protecting food sources and in defending against enemies, such as lions, tigers, leopards, and even spotted hyenas. Their greatest threat, however, comes from humans. Often, striped hyenas are hit by vehicles while eating roadkill.

Striped hyena pups certainly do not grow up in the lap of luxury. Not much is known about their secluded family life. Young are typically born at a time when food is plentiful. After a three-month gestation, mother hyena finds a cave or other sheltered place to give birth. Usually two to four fluffy babies are born with markings similar to the adults, but without the mane of hair along the back and with eyes and ears sealed. They are helpless at birth, can barely crawl, and don't open their eyes for five to nine days. They are ready to greet the world at about two weeks old. They nurse for over one year.

The young carnivores taste their first solid food at about one month old; when the mother or some of the males in her group bring food back to the den, the hungry pups bleat with anticipation. The pups chase, stalk, pounce, and ambush each other for fun and practice for future hunts. They stay with their mother for quite a while to learn proper food gathering and hunting techniques. But when the pups are two years old, she is ready for her offspring to leave, and the youngsters must find a territory all their own.

A striped hyena usually travels unnoticed, noiselessly moving through the brush. Its loudest call is a rarely heard cackling howl. The hyena makes successive rapid, brief whinnies or cackles when it is excited. Threat displays with rival hyenas begin with a growl rising to a roar, followed by a low, snapping lunge.

Unlike their noisy cousins, the spotted hyenas, striped hyenas are usually silent. Their loudest call is a rarely heard, cackling howl. But body language is a form of communication, too. In an instant, a striped hyena can nearly double in size—or at least appear much larger—by raising the hair along its back! This is not an act of aggression but the hyena’s last effort to "pretend" to be brave and, hopefully, keep what it sees as scary predators farther away. The position of the ears, tail movement, and body posture also help the hyena communicate its message to others.

Hyenas can hear sounds that human ears cannot, and they listen for sounds from other predators that may lead them to a kill that is miles away. They also have a built-in communication system: an anal scent gland to mark territory. Each hyena leaves its own unique scent.

Myths, legends, and superstitions surround hyenas. One myth claims that they eat children, yet they are also kept as loyal and trustworthy pets. Legend has it that hyenas are grave robbers, and the habit of placing tombstones on graves in the Near East began in order to prevent the animals from digging up bodies. The people of some cultures use the dried dung of hyenas as a cosmetic face powder, and others believe that the hyena’s tongue and fat have medicinal properties. In other cultures, a striped hyena’s heart is eaten for courage, the whiskers preserved as charms.

The hyena’s reputation as a somehow distasteful, unpleasant, or even evil creature has also made its way into popular culture. The Disney animated movie The Lion King perpetuated the negative reputation of hyenas by portraying them as the “bad guys.” Yet anyone who has studied or worked with hyenas can attest to their intelligence, their cooperative social groups, and their attentive care of their young. We hope you have gained a new perception of the hyena!