The spotted hyena or laughing hyena (Crocuta crocuta) is a species of hyena, currently classed as the sole member of the genus Crocuta, native to Sub-Saharan Africa. Its current distribution is patchy in many places, especially in West Africa. There is a continuous distribution over large areas of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia and the Transvaal Lowveld areas of South Africa.
