Hyena

Hyenas, specifically spotted hyenas, are the primary antagonists in The Lion King 1½ and The Lion Guard, as well as the secondary antagonists in The Lion King and The Lion King's Timon and Pumbaa.

Appearance
The hyenas are light brown or ashy gray in color. They have pale underbellies, black paws, black outer ears, and may have coarse, black manes. They bear spots along their shoulders and/or backs. Most have rounded ears like real spotted hyenas, though some have pointed ears or occasionally pointed ears, those being Shenzi, Banzai, Ed, Janja, and most of the hyenas in The Lion King.

Spotted Hyenas
Spotted hyenas are intelligent animals that live in groups known as clans, in which females are larger than the males and dominant to them. Even the lowest-ranking female in the clan outranks the highest-ranking male. The cubs of high-ranking females are more aggressive than those of lower-ranking females. The clans live in a fission-fusion society.

While some species are scavengers, spotted hyenas primarily hunt for their prey. These hyenas have extremely strong jaws and digestive systems, allowing them to feed on even the toughest parts of their prey, such as the bones and hooves.

Cubs are usually born in litters of two. Of carnivorous animals, spotted hyena cubs are the largest relative to the weight of their mother, which often makes birth difficult for the females. The cubs are born with their eyes open and full sets of teeth, and may attack each other shortly after birth. In this case, they will fight until the weaker perishes. Males do not raise the litter, which nurse from their mother for over a year.

Hyenas are well-known for the "laughing" sound that they produce. In reality, this call is not emitted out of amusement, but as a result of stress of fear. Hyenas have been observed "laughing" as they are attacked or chased from a kill.

Striped Hyenas
Striped hyenas are hyenas that primarily live alone or in pairs. They scavenge for their meals, targeting decomposing carcasses. Unlike spotted hyenas, males and females both take part in the raising of cubs.

Fanon Hyenas on the Wiki
All fanon hyenas on the wiki can be found here.

Appearances in Fanfictions
A list of fanfictions in which hyenas appears that are on this wiki. If your fanfiction includes hyenas, add it to this list.
 * Lion King 3: Hyena Rules
 * Lion King IV: Rise and Fall of the Sun
 * The Hyena Life
 * The Lion King: Kopa's Story
 * The Lion King VI: The Great Pride Migration
 * The Rouge
 * The Tiger King
 * Zazu's Tickle Torture

Trivia

 * Originally, Scar's henchmen were going to be Cape dogs. They were later replaced by the hyenas.
 * Though hyenas make noises similar to those of dogs in The Lion King franchise(with their exception of their laughter and voices), hyenas are actually more closely related to cats than dogs.
 * In reality, female hyenas are the leaders of their clans, but in The Lion Guard, a male named Janja is the leader of his clan. Additionally, a male hyena from a German audiobook, Fisi, is the leader of his.