Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta). Photo © Yathin S Krishnappa · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta). Photo © Marieke Kuijpers · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
What is remarkable about the bone-cracking jaws of the spotted hyena – contrary to the usual misguided captions in books and magazines – is not how massive they are but rather how small they are.
In fact, the head of this powerful scavenger is no larger, relative to body size, than that of the related aardwolf, a specialised termite-eater which needs no teeth to eat its food.
Robin and the Honey Badger, 22 March 2016
Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta). Photo © Joanne Goldby · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
