Head to head
Brown Hyena vs Spotted Hyena
Brown Hyena
VS Spotted Hyena
The brown hyena and spotted hyena are both African hyenas, but they live very different lives, one a quiet scavenger that forages alone and the other a bold hunter in large, female-led clans.
| Brown Hyena | Spotted Hyena | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Parahyaena brunnea | Crocuta crocuta |
| Feeding | Mainly a scavenger, plus small animals, insects, eggs, and fruit | Hunts most of its own food, including wildebeest and zebra |
| Coat | Shaggy dark brown with a paler mantle | Spotted coat |
| Social structure | Small clans, but forages alone | Clans of up to about 130, led by a dominant female |
| Dominance | Not specifically documented | All adult males rank below all adult females |
| Signature trait | Pastes scent onto grass stalks to mark territory | A famous laugh and a bone-crushing bite of around 1,100 psi |
| Native range | Southern Africa | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Conservation status | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
Brown Hyena vs Spotted Hyena: common questions
Is the brown hyena a hunter like the spotted hyena?
Not mainly; the brown hyena is chiefly a scavenger, while the spotted hyena hunts most of its own food.
Do brown hyenas live in big packs like spotted hyenas?
No, brown hyenas live in small clans and forage alone, while spotted hyenas live in large clans of up to about 130 animals.
Which is rarer, the brown hyena or the spotted hyena?
The brown hyena, which is Near Threatened and believed to number only a few thousand, while the spotted hyena is Least Concern and far more widespread.