Why do female hyenas rule the pack?

A pack of hyenas is also called a clan. These clans can be anywhere from six to 100 members strong. The dominant or alpha female leads them. She is the highest-ranking individual in the pack. She and her babies (pups) are the top priority. The alpha eats first and has the first choice for breeding. The pups of lower-ranking females may go hungry and struggle to survive. This female-led society is called a matriarchy. Strangely, the matriarchy exists due to the instincts and behavior of the males.

Male dispersal is the main reason for female domination in hyena packs. When male hyenas reach maturity, they leave the clan in search of unrelated females. Male hyenas have an important role in keeping up genetic diversity among the species. If the males born into the pack stuck around, they would end up breeding their sisters and cousins. Inbreeding shrinks the gene pool and increases the risk of birth defects. That’s why they leave and often move between packs. Each time they immigrate to a new clan, they become the lowest-ranking member again.

Females are driven by instinct to choose these immigrants for mating. They also have unique anatomy for reproduction. Females are slightly larger and much more aggressive than males. This means that they control the breeding processes entirely. Males do not need to compete for the right to breed.

Lions and hyenas are constantly fighting for the right to their kills.

Hyena vs. Lion – who wins?

Hyenas are strong and fierce competitors. They have extreme endurance and can run for long periods. Their regular speed of about 6 mph can reach up to 30 mph during a hunt. Hyenas hunt as a pack, chasing their prey to exhaustion. They also rank in the top ten strongest animal bites. A hyena’s bite force of about 1,100 psi can tear through flesh and bone with ease. That’s more powerful than a grizzly bear!

Lions may have weight on their side, but only a large adult male has a bite force matching the hyena. An adult male weighs roughly 400 pounds, compared to the largest hyenas at about 140 pounds. They also have muscular forelegs with huge paws and long, sharp claws. A blow from a lion’s paw causes severe cuts and bruising. Smaller animals could die from such a strike!

A lion wins the battle with a few hyenas based on his size and power. Though, a single hyena would most likely run from this fight altogether. If faced with an entire clan, even the world’s largest lion will probably give up his kill and move on. Both animals are dangerous to each other. It’s hard to say who would triumph if a pride of lions and a pack of hyenas brawl.

Watch the whole entertaining exchange below!