Manic cackler of the African night – the animal whose calls send trickles of unease down the spine. Ally of witch and sorcerer – according to old superstitious belief. The animal with just about the mightiest bite on the planet. Regularly seen scavenging abandoned kills, or slipping through the trees in the dead of night, going about its stealthy carnivorous business. The spotted hyena is the one African animal that seems to be nobody’s favourite. Yet it’s worth a kinder look. The females in particular. There are some very special, very un-female things about them. Reputedly vicious, aggressive and dangerous, this powerful predator is a gentle parent and united family member. Discover the hyena of fact and fable in this episode of The Whole Story.