Spotted hyena

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/spotted-hyena

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Crocuta crocuta
2. What is the lifespan?Average 10-14 years in the wild; up to 20-24 years in captivity
3. What does a spotted hyena's laugh sound like?It sounds like a giggle, a high‑pitched laugh that can be heard from far away.
4. Why are spotted hyenas called matriarchal animals?Because the females are larger, stronger, and hold the highest social ranks in the clan.

Matriarchal Hierarchy: A social system where females are dominant, holding higher ranks and leadership roles, often inherited through maternal lines.
Dietary Plasticity: The ability of an animal to adapt its diet to include a wide variety of food sources, including different prey and scavenged materials.
Cercopithecine Primates: A family of Old World monkeys, such as baboons and macaques, known for their complex social structures and group dynamics.
Apex Predator: An animal at the top of the food chain, with no natural predators in its ecosystem.