---
title: "Gevlekte hyena"
description: "Crocuta crocuta — Zoogdieren. The spotted hyena, also known as the laughing hyena, is a hyena species, currently classed as the sole extant member of the genus Crocuta, native to sub-Saharan Africa."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/nl/animal/spotted-hyena
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Gevlekte hyena

> Crocuta crocuta — Zoogdieren. The spotted hyena, also known as the laughing hyena, is a hyena species, currently classed as the sole extant member of the genus Crocuta, native to sub-Saharan Africa.

- Scientific name: *Crocuta crocuta*
- Category: `mammals` (Zoogdieren)
- Habitats: `grassland` (Weiden en velden), `savanna` (Savanne)
- iNaturalist observations: 11464
- Wikidata: [Q178089](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q178089)
- iNaturalist taxon: [41886](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/41886)

## Names

- en: Spotted Hyena
- de: Tüpfelhyäne
- es: Hiena manchada
- fr: Hyène tachetée
- nl: Gevlekte hyena
- pt: Hiena-malhada
- pl: Krokuta cętkowana

## Countries with the most observations

ZA (3611), KE (1972), TZ (1682), NA (525), BW (369), ZM (178), BJ (155), UG (128), ZW (103), CF (98), ET (74), NE (60)

## Summary

The spotted hyena, also known as the laughing hyena, is a hyena species, currently classed as the sole extant member of the genus Crocuta, native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is listed as being of least concern by the IUCN due to its widespread range and large numbers estimated between 27,000 and 47,000 individuals. The species is, however, experiencing declines outside of protected areas due to habitat loss and poaching. Populations of Crocuta, usually considered a subspecies of Crocuta crocuta, known as cave hyenas, roamed across Eurasia for at least one million years until the end of the…

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_hyena

## Photo

![Gevlekte hyena](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/spotted-hyena/medium.jpg)

Photo: Dave Brown · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/71360319

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/spotted-hyena?lang=nl` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).