The spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) is a successful and numerous large carnivore found across sub-Saharan Africa. Although often viewed as a scavenger, the hyena is an efficient hunter that secures the majority of its own food, making it a functional apex predator. Due to their intelligence, physical power, and complex matriarchal social structure, healthy adult hyenas have few natural enemies capable of successfully preying upon them. Nevertheless, certain circumstances and competitors do result in mortality for these animals.
Apex Predators Targeting Adults
The primary cause of non-human-related death for a healthy, mature spotted hyena is the African Lion (Panthera leo). This mortality is driven by intense interspecific competition and territorial defense over shared resources, not a traditional predator-prey relationship. Lions and hyenas directly compete for the same large ungulates, leading to frequent and often fatal antagonistic encounters.
A single adult male lion can weigh two to three times more than an adult hyena and is capable of killing one with a single blow. These attacks are often targeted, with lions stalking hyenas near kills or at their resting places to eliminate rivals. One study found that lions were responsible for the death of over half of the hyena carcasses examined. The goal of these encounters is the removal of a major competitor, especially in areas where competition is fierce.
The Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) represents the second threat to adult hyenas, although this is an opportunistic form of predation. Crocodiles prey on hyenas when they must cross or drink from water bodies, particularly during dry seasons when water sources are scarce. A crocodile attack is usually an ambush that exploits the hyena’s momentary vulnerability at the water’s edge.
Predation on Young and Vulnerable Hyenas
Predation risk increases for hyenas that are young, isolated, or physically compromised. Spotted hyena cubs are particularly vulnerable at the communal den, which is a common target for rival predators. Lions frequently attack and kill hyena cubs at the den site as a direct tactic to reduce future competition.
Other large carnivores, such as leopards (Panthera pardus) and African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus), may opportunistically prey on young or sub-adult hyenas straying from the protection of the clan. African wild dogs pose a significant threat to both cubs and lone adult hyenas when they encounter them. For the largest predators, a young hyena represents a low-risk, high-reward meal, especially if the cub is caught while separated from the clan.
A source of mortality also comes from within the hyena species, known as intraspecific killing. This includes facultative siblicide, where a dominant cub in a twin litter may aggressively monopolize access to its mother’s milk, leading to the death of the weaker sibling when food resources are low. Furthermore, sick, old, or severely injured hyenas become targets for smaller predators and scavengers they would normally dominate.
Factors Limiting Successful Predation
The primary reason why predation on spotted hyenas is rare is the species’ social and physical defenses. Hyenas live in large, highly organized clans of up to 80 individuals, operating under a strict matriarchal structure. This complex social organization allows for cooperative defense, where hyenas will quickly gather to mob a potential attacker, even lions, using the power of numbers to drive the threat away.
Physically, the hyena is built for conflict, possessing a muscular neck and one of the strongest bite forces of any mammal, capable of crushing bone. Their physical robustness makes them a high-risk target for any predator seeking an easy meal. Their cautious nature and nocturnal habits reduce their exposure during the day, lessening the chance of ambush by predators like crocodiles at water sources.