The spotted hyena, or Crocuta crocuta ("fisi" in Swahili) weighs 90-190 lbs and has been shown to live 25 years in captivity. They are born with their eyes open and a full set of teeth, although they nurse for 12-18 months. Their howling, wailing and laughter can summon members of their clan from three miles away.
For some time, it was believed that Hyenas were a hemaphroditic mammal, possessing both male and female sex organs and/or were able to change their sex from male to female. It is now understood that the female Hyena possesses an enlarged clitoris, that is very similar to the male penis in external appearance and erectility . The female hyena is more aggressive than the male, and regularly chases male hyenas off their kills until the females and pups have eaten their fill. This aggressive nature is believed to be due to extremely high testosterone levels in female hyenas during pregnancy, which can "masculinize" the brain of the developing pups, and masculinizes the external genitalia of the female pups. This seems to be a survival necessity, hyenas will often eat the young in their own clan, required the females to be extra vigilant and fierce.
See the Pieter Hugo photo series:
The Hyena People of Nigeria
While you're at it, check the Albino series from the same link, awesome.
Meanwhile, examine female versus male mounting behaviors:
Figure 1. Female versus male mounting behaviors.
An adult female spotted hyena with an erection, mounting another female (left). The pendulous clitoris of the mounting female is visible between her hind legs. Females mount much less frequently than males, and when they do are usually improperly oriented for intromission, typically remaining far back and positioned at an oblique angle to the mounted animal. In contrast, a male mounting a female (right) shows an upright posture, as well as the coordinated phallic flips and pelvic thrusts required to achieve intromission. (an excerpt from Nature Neuroscience 2, 943 - 945 (1999) For the full article on the sexual differentiation of male and female hyena behavior, see it in Nature Neuroscience.
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