I saw my only wild hyena at Kenya s Maasai Mara park: a mother lying on the ground and her cub. The cub was plain dark brown. The mother was unmistakeable with its spotted brown body and black face. More than anything, I recall being surprised at its large size, bigger than a dog or a jackal.
Hyenas are known as feliform (cat-like) mammals and belong to the family Hyeanidae. With only three species, the family of hyenas is one of the smallest among mammals.
The Spotted Hyena that I saw is the largest of the three hyena species. It can reach six feet and weigh up to 180 pounds. Striped Hyenas are smaller, at about 110 pounds. The smallest and shiest hyenas are Brown Hyenas weighing in at less than 100 pounds. Hyenas inhabit most of the Old World: Africa, Middle-east, India and parts of Europe.