Crocuta #6

Spotted hyenas (crocuta crocuta) have always been my favorite animal. So much so that I often used analogies of them throughout my academic career. There are preconceived notions of spotted hyenas being scavengers because they eat everything from bones & hair as opposed to the supposed king of the jungle, the lion. Lions only eat whatever is under the belly of its prey leaving the rest of the animals to feed on practically being wasted on their end. Despite an undeserved reputation as a scavenger, the spotted hyena is the most successful predator because it cannot afford to waste resources. With that being said, that doesn't make them scavengers. It makes them Opportunists.