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We’ve got two misconceptions to clear up here.

First, hyenas are not dogs. They’re feliforms, close relatives of cats even though some of them bark and act in a more or less canine-like manner because of convergent evolution.

Second, hyenas aren’t skulking cowardly bad guys. Life can be brutal among them, but hyenas (like all animals) have their good points, despite the stereotypes that we lay on them.

Let’s get started on that last point and then work our way up into Lion King territory.

Aardwolf

We have already met these feliform entomologists, but here is one more video on them:

Featuring a cameo by one of the big-eared canids.

IUCN Red List status: Least Concern.

Aardwolves aren’t very skittish, but the same can’t be said for the next two species!

Brown hyena

This video has millions of views, plus I have embedded it here before; one way or another, you might have seen it already but it’s still fun to watch:

Of course, after the BBC packs up its fancy equipment and drives off, life goes on for the brown hyena, and it builds up a thirst doing whatever it is that brown hyenas do.

This critter might be a carnivore but it is terribly shy — unable to relax at the waterhole with even just one plant-eater (an oryx) nearby:

Entrance and exit, stage left.

IUCN Red List status: Near threatened.

Striped hyena

These striped hyenas might be acting cautious because they are in a new setting —

— but it also appears that striped hyenas are SO nervous that they need to be sedated for some conservation measures:

IUCN Red List status: Near Threatened.

Spotted hyena

Here we are, with Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, and so much more!

To close this post in the same spirit of battling misconceptions about hyenas, what happens when you give those little spotted hyena cubs a toy? (Not a bloodbath! 🙂 )

IUCN Red List status: Least concern.

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Featured image: Image by Alison Cave from Pixabay

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