When do hyenas laugh?
Spotted hyenas mostly giggle during times of conflict – for example, when competing over a fresh kill. Scientists at the University of California at Berkeley compared the acoustics of 17 giggling hyenas in a colony at a local research station. They found that the utterances of each individual were subtly unique.
Why do hyenas laugh?
They also found that the vocalisations of older animals were lower in pitch, and that those of more dominant individuals were more orderly and reserved – less maniacal – than those of subordinates. A tittering hyena essentially announces its personal identity, age, social status and perhaps more to all in the party.
Though it’s uncertain how individuals use this information, one thing is certain: a hyena would know who’s who, and where they are, without even having to lift its head.
Hyenas’ social system requires extensive communication to keep it functional. They have at least 14 calls, from soft groans to howl-like ‘whoops,’ each of which appears to have a distinct meaning
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