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A Famous Laugh

Have you seen a “laughing” hyena in a cartoon or movie? Although there are three kinds of hyenas, only spotted hyenas have a call that sounds like they are laughing. They make that sound when they are excited or nervous.  Spotted hyenas make other sounds, too:  squealing and groaning to greet each other and “whoop” to call over long distances. 

Most people think hyenas are scavengers only. Spotted hyenas do eat other predators’ leftovers during the day, but they also hunt at night. Hyenas work together in a pack to capture zebras, warthogs, gazelles, and other animals. The bigger the group, the larger the animalAny living thing that is not a plant. Most animals can move about freely. All use plants or other animals as food. All have sensory organs. they hunt—it takes 10 to 25 hyenas to catch a zebra! When they aren’t hunting, hyenas rest in dens or caves.