The spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta, is one of Africa’s most misunderstood carnivores. For decades, popular culture has perpetuated the image of this highly social mammal as a skulking, opportunistic scavenger. This perception has led to the common question of whether hyenas are habitual cannibals, consuming members of their own kind as a regular part of their diet. An examination of their social behaviors and feeding ecology reveals that while killing conspecifics is documented, systematic cannibalism is not a routine feeding strategy.
Defining Cannibalism in Zoology
In zoology, cannibalism is precisely defined as intraspecific predation, meaning an animal consuming all or part of another individual of the same species. This definition covers a wide range of behaviors across the animal kingdom. The distinction between actively hunting and killing a conspecific for food versus opportunistically scavenging a carcass is important for classification. True predatory cannibalism involves the killing of a member of the same species primarily to gain nutrition. Opportunistic scavenging of a dead conspecific is a different ecological behavior driven by immediate nutritional necessity. Many carnivores and omnivores will consume a dead member of their species, especially during periods of extreme resource scarcity. Therefore, to determine if hyenas are cannibals, one must look at the context and intent behind the act of consuming a fellow clan member.
The Standard Hyena Diet and Feeding Habits
Spotted hyenas are apex predators in many African ecosystems and acquire the majority of their food through hunting, not scavenging. In certain regions, long-term studies have shown that hyenas hunt 60% to 95% of their prey themselves, overturning the long-standing myth of them being mere scavengers. They are pursuit predators, often chasing prey like wildebeest, zebra, and antelope over long distances until the target is exhausted.
Their powerful jaws and specialized digestive system allow them to process materials other carnivores leave behind. Hyenas can crush and consume large ungulate bones, extracting bone marrow and calcium, which gives them a nutritional advantage. This physical adaptation for maximizing resource intake provides the baseline context for understanding their feeding behavior.
Intraspecific Aggression and Infanticide
The confusion about hyena cannibalism often stems from the high levels of aggression observed within hyena clans, which frequently results in death. This intense competition begins almost immediately after birth in a phenomenon known as siblicide. Spotted hyena cubs are born highly precocial, with their eyes open and front teeth fully erupted, facilitating immediate conflict.
Newborn twins will engage in violent, often fatal, fights for dominance and access to maternal milk, especially in same-sex litters. This aggression is particularly pronounced when food resources are low, causing the dominant cub to monopolize nursing opportunities, leading to the death of the subordinate twin. Siblicide serves as a form of brood reduction, ensuring the survival of the strongest offspring when maternal resources are limited.
Infanticide by adult females is another significant source of mortality, accounting for up to 24% of juvenile deaths in some populations. These killings are not typically for consumption but are strongly linked to competition over social status among matrilines within the clan. Adult females, usually those of higher rank, will kill the offspring of lower-ranking females to reduce competition for resources and social standing for their own lineage.
When Consumption Occurs
While the killing of conspecifics is rooted in social and resource competition, the consumption of the deceased does occasionally follow. True, systematic predatory cannibalism is extremely rare in hyenas, but opportunistic consumption of dead clan members is documented. The consumption is typically secondary to the act of killing, especially following a case of infanticide.
Victims of infanticide are sometimes consumed by the killer, the killer’s offspring, or other clan members. This consumption is thought to be a minor nutritional benefit rather than the primary reason for the killing. When a hyena dies from injury, disease, or another non-predatory cause, its remains may also be consumed by others in the clan, consistent with the species’ general scavenging behavior.