The hyena is a shaggy, untidy and opportunistic carnivore with a distinctive, sloping back. It is a member of the dog family, weighing around 60 kg (males can be heavier) and standing at about 80 cm at the shoulder. The spotted hyena hunts and scavenges by night and is closely connected in African folklore with the supernatural world. Anyone who has heard the sound of hyenas in full cry around midnight would understand the animal’s association with the dark arts.
