Spotted Hyenas in the US

Jaxton

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
I have lately been looking more into Spotted Hyena's, and I have found it fairly difficult to find information about a zoos hyenas. I know of many zoos that have Spotted Hyena, but I can't names, gender, age, ect. Especially at the Buffalo Zoo. But if anyone has any information that would be wonderful to know. Thanks!
 
From what I can round up:

Columbus: 0.2.0, Banzai and Shenzi (from Tanganyika, in rotation exhibit)

San Diego: 2.0.0, Turbo and Zephyr

Denver: 1.2.0, Kelele, Nia and Tavi

Franklin Park: 2.0.0, Kai and Thika (from Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo)

St. Louis: I couldn't find much, however there are 2 hyenas by the names of Haji and Tembo that live there.

Disney's Animal Kingdom: 2 hyenas from the Berkeley colony, couldn't find much info on them either.

Buffalo: Couldn't find much info

Turtle Back: Couldn't find much info

Moorpark (America's Teaching Zoo): 0.1.0 (?), Kadogo

Seneca Park: 1.0.0, Lou

Florida International Teaching Zoo: Couldn't find much info

Fort Wayne Children's Zoo: Couldn't find much info

Zoo Miami: Couldn't find much info.

Out of Africa Wildlife Park: 1.1.0, Chipa and Chitabe

Frenchak Farms Zoological Conservatory: Couldn't find much info.

DeYoung Family Zoo: Couldn't find much info

Oakland: 2.2.1, Harley is the young female and the only one I could find the name and she lives with 2 males. There's an elderly pair as well and I know one's a male but I could not find out the other hyena's gender. Harley and her exhibit-mates are from Berkeley.

Phoenix: 2.0.0, Huckleberry and Cahli


I tried to focus on AZA-accredited zoos but there's a few zoos I mentioned that aren't accredited. I'm probably missing some places but my brain hurts :p

Also Toronto has hyenas but they're in Canada.
 
What's the largest pack of hyena anyone has ever seen in a zoo (Spotted or otherwise)? I assumed they were like wild dogs and could be kept in large packs but almost every zoo I've seen hyena, it's always been a pair or a group of three.
 
What's the largest pack of hyena anyone has ever seen in a zoo (Spotted or otherwise)? I assumed they were like wild dogs and could be kept in large packs but almost every zoo I've seen hyena, it's always been a pair or a group of three.
I've read up something about hyenas actually being a bit dangerous when it comes to separating individuals. For example, if 2 hyenas were to be separated and then united back into their exhibit, there's a chance that the hyenas could fight/kill each other. Here's a graphic video on the damage they can do to each other (this is NORMAL hyena behavior, and WARNING it's very graphic)
 
I've read up something about hyenas actually being a bit dangerous when it comes to separating individuals. For example, if 2 hyenas were to be separated and then united back into their exhibit, there's a chance that the hyenas could fight/kill each other. Here's a graphic video on the damage they can do to each other (this is NORMAL hyena behavior, and WARNING it's very graphic)

Wow, that is intense. What you say makes a lot of sense. Maybe having a pair can work as there's only two chances of one of the hyenas instigating a fight. Having a pack of 10 would be relying on 10 hyena not to fight, which would be essentially impossible.

I heard once that females are more aggressive than males and gender influences the survival outcome of twins:

Male-Male: Usually fine
Male-Female: Some aggression
Female-Female: Fight to the death
 
I do believe Denver has an elderly pair named Kibo and Ngozi, and Oakland has a younger hyena clan (Ozzie, Tusker, and Harley), as well as an older pair Dos Equis, and Zoe, though I'm not sure whether Dos Equis is stile alive.
 
From what I can round up:

Columbus: 0.2.0, Banzai and Shenzi (from Tanganyika, in rotation exhibit)

San Diego: 2.0.0, Turbo and Zephyr

Denver: 1.2.0, Kelele, Nia and Tavi

Franklin Park: 2.0.0, Kai and Thika (from Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo)

St. Louis: I couldn't find much, however there are 2 hyenas by the names of Haji and Tembo that live there.

Disney's Animal Kingdom: 2 hyenas from the Berkeley colony, couldn't find much info on them either.

Buffalo: Couldn't find much info

Turtle Back: Couldn't find much info

Moorpark (America's Teaching Zoo): 0.1.0 (?), Kadogo

Seneca Park: 1.0.0, Lou

Florida International Teaching Zoo: Couldn't find much info

Fort Wayne Children's Zoo: Couldn't find much info

Zoo Miami: Couldn't find much info.

Out of Africa Wildlife Park: 1.1.0, Chipa and Chitabe

Frenchak Farms Zoological Conservatory: Couldn't find much info.

DeYoung Family Zoo: Couldn't find much info

Oakland: 2.2.1, Harley is the young female and the only one I could find the name and she lives with 2 males. There's an elderly pair as well and I know one's a male but I could not find out the other hyena's gender. Harley and her exhibit-mates are from Berkeley.

Phoenix: 2.0.0, Huckleberry and Cahli


I tried to focus on AZA-accredited zoos but there's a few zoos I mentioned that aren't accredited. I'm probably missing some places but my brain hurts :p

Also Toronto has hyenas but they're in Canada.
Milwaukee County:1.1
 
Busch Gardens has five hyenas, their names are Tamu, Makili, Maboga, Mandazi, and Taziki. Tamu is the only male, Makili gave birth recently to a pair of pups named Mandazi and Maboga, Busch Gardens basically hid Maboga from the public for a while though, they may have been hand raising her or something like that.
 
From what I knew Tamu is Taziki's mother and Taziki gave birth to Mandazi and Maboga, and they were sired by Makali.

I made the guess based on names, it's probably true what you said. A lot of times, zoos will have the animals named with the same first letter as their mother, that's why I thought Makili is the mother. You're probably right though.
 
The snake farm/ animal world zoo has a pair, and a small private zoo in Missouri broadly named "Animal Safari" has at least a few, but it is hard to count them there as they are only seen from the drive through section.
 
AZA Hyena population as of last August. I cannot account for deaths and births since then. And as you will see the genetic are not all that diverse in the breeding age population. They come from 19 founders with a few potential new founders added to the mix in the last 5 or so years. Hopefully they will get into the mix and help to diversify the genetics.

Buffalo Zoo
Grungie (M)
Born: 10/25/1999, Buffalo Zoo
Father: Gus
Mother: Grubbie
Offspring: 5 DNS cubs
Kelele (M)

Taz (F)
Born: 6/1/2007, Tanzania
Offspring: Kanzi (F)
Kelele (M)
7 DNS cubs

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Makali (M)
Born: 7/20/1999, Berkeley
Father: Bramble
Mother: Nakuru
Offspring: Mandazi (M)

Tamu (F)
Born: 11/5/2002, Berkeley
Father: Turbo
Mother: Cass
Offspring: Tanziki (F)

Tanziki (F)
Born: 11/5/2002, Busch Gardens
Father: Buster
Mother: Tamu
Offspring: Mandazi (M)

Mandazi (M)
Born: 4/3/2016, Busch Gardens
Father: Makali
Mother: Tanziki

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Shenzi (F)
Born:11/19/2014

Bonsai (F)
Born: 11/19/2014

Denver Zoo
Kibo (M)
Born: 10/29/1998, Berkeley
Father: Rip
Mother: Nairobi
Offspring: Isoke (M)
1 DNS cubs
Pinduli (F)
Siri (F)
Askari (M)
Kai (M)

Mtoto (F)
Born: 5/2/1999, Berkeley
Father: Bear
Mother: Zonker
Offspring: Isoke (M)
1 DNS cubs
Pinduli (F)
Siri (F)
Askari (M)
Kubwa (F)
Kidogo (M)
Kai (M)

Nia (F)
Born: 6/11/2014

Tavi (F)
Born: 6/11/2014

Kelele (M)
Born: 6/26/2014, Buffalo Zoo
Father: Grungie
Mother: Taz

Disney's Animal Kingdom
Zawadi (M)
Born: 11/3/2004, Berkeley
Father: Bramble
Mother: Ursa

Scooter (F)
Born: 1/10/2005, Berkeley
Father: Bramble
Mother: Nisa
Offspring: Harley (F)

Franklin Park Zoo
Thika (M)
Born: 10/29/1998, Berkeley
Father: Rip
Mother: Nairobi

Kai (M)
Born: 8/8/2009, Denver Zoo
Father: Kibo
Mother: Mtoto

Frenchak Farms (Non AZA but with a SSP clan)
Dusty (M)
Born: 6/20/1997, Berkeley
Father: Multiple possibilities
Mother: Ginger

Usra (F)
Born: 4/15/1998, Berkeley
Father: Bear
Mother: Zonker
Offspring: Dubu (M)
Wibari (M)
Zawadi (M)
Tembo (M)

Cass (F)
Born: 5/18/1998, Berkeley
Father: Rocco
Mother: Checkers
Offspring: Tamu (F)

Wibari (M)
Born: 3/6/2003, Berkeley
Father: Multiple possibilities
Mother: Ursa

Giggles (F)
Born: 6/15/2008, Wild

Banzi (F)
Born:10/26/2005

Fort Wayne Children's Zoo
Grubbie (F)
Born:5/27/1995, Buffalo Zoo
Father: Gus
Mother: Drek
Offspring: Scuzzy (F)
Scruffy (M)
Grungie (M)
Dirt (M)
Sludge (M)
3 DNS cubs

Askari (M)
Born: 11/14/2006, Denver Zoo
Father: Kibo
Mother: Mtoto

Honolulu Zoo
Mars (M)
Born: 9/22/1988, Berkeley
Father: Two Notches
Mother: Sargent

Sunset Zoo
Charlie (F)
Born:1/1/2008, Lion Park

Zoo Miami
Scuzzy (F)
Born: 2/20/1998, Buffalo Zoo
Father: Gus
Mother: Grubbie
Offspring: 4 DNS cubs with own father Gus

Dirt (M)
Born: 6/27/2000, Buffalo Zoo
Father: Gus
Mother: Grubbie

Milwaukee County Zoological Gardens
Scruffy (M)
Born: 1/8/1999, Buffalo Zoo
Father: Gus
Mother: Grubbie
Offspring: 1 DNS cub

Nyota (F) result of brother sister breeding
Born:6/19/2009, Buffalo Zoo
Father: Isoke
Mother: Siri
Offspring: 1 DNS cub

Louisiana Purchase Gardens & Zoo
Isoke (M)
Born:3/16/2005, Denver
Father: Kibo
Mother: Mtoto
Offspring: Nyota (F) Inbred
Kanzi (F)
3 DNS cubs (2 Inbred)

America's Teaching Zoo
Kadogo (F)
Born: 5/10/2002, Berkeley
Father: Bear
Mother: Zonker

Bronx Zoo
Robbie (M)
Born: 10/30/2002, Berkeley
Father: Bramble
Mother: Nairobi
Offspring: Harley (F)

Kubwa (F)
Born: 3/3/2008, Denver Zoo
Father: Multiple Possibilities
Mother: Mtoto

Harley (F)
Born: 6/5/2007, Berkeley
Father: Robbie
Mother: Scooter

Ozzy (M)
Born: 9/8/2007,Berkeley
Father: Bramble
Mother: Nairobi

Tusker (M)
Born: 1/2/2008, Berkeley
Father: Bramble
Mother: Zonker

Phoenix Zoo
Cahli (M)
Born: 4/5/1993, Berkeley
Father: Bear
Mother: Sal

Huckleberry (M)
Born: 9/19/1993, Berkeley
Father: Rocco
Mother: Thistle

Africam Safari (2.2 but none are named)

Albuquerque Biological Park
Dubu (M)
Born: 3/6/2003, Berkeley
Father: Multiple possibilities
Mother: Ursa
Offspring:

Sanilla (F)
Born: 1/1/2008, Lion Park

Seneca Park Zoo
Lucifer (M)
Born: 10/3/1992, Buffalo Zoo
Father: Gus
Mother: Drek
Offspring: 2 DNS cubs

San Diego Zoo
Turbo (M)
Born: 4/30/1998, Berkeley
Father: Rocco
Mother: Domino
Offspring: Tamu (F)

Zephyr (M)
Born: 4/30/1998, Berkeley
Father: Rocco
Mother: Domino

Saint Louis Zoo
Tembo (M)
Born: 9/1/2006, Berkeley
Father: Bramble
Mother: Ursa

Hagi (F)
Born:11/22/2006, Berkeley
Father: Moja
Mother: Nairobi

Toronto Zoo
Moja (M)
Born:6/5/1999, Berkeley
Father: Multiple possibilities
Mother: Ginger
Offspring: Hagi (F)
Jambo (F)

Pinduli (F)
Born: 1/19/2006, Denver Zoo
Father:Kibo
Mother:Mtoto

Echo (M)
Born: 8/5/2009, South Africa.

Kanzi (F)
Born: 3/23/2012, Buffalo Zoo
Father: Grungie
Mother: Taz

Parc Safari (0.2 imported from South Africa with Echo but not included in SSP)

Wildlife World Zoo
Joker (M)
Born: 12/1/2011

Harely (F)
Born: 12/1/2011

Wildlife Waystation
Gulliver (M)
Born: 5/15/1994, Berkeley
Father: Bear
Mother: Ghost

Winnie (M)
Born:6/27/1994, Berkeley
Father: Bear
Mother: Eeyore

Domino (F)
Born: 8/4/1995, Berkeley
Father: Talek
Mother: Sal
Offspring: Turbo (M)
Zephyr (M)


Kombo (F)
Born: 7/20/1999, Berkeley
Father: Bramble
Mother: Nairobi
 
KIM and KIRA were born on November 24th 2013 to sire KITANO (* in Tanzania 1999) and dam DARA (* in Leipzig May 20th 2011, KITANO x LUBANGA).

Would be great to know where they are...
 
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