Spotted Hyena

The Spotted Hyena carries an unfair reputation, often cast as a villain in popular culture, but the exhibit at Zoo Miami in Richmond West offers a chance to see this misunderstood animal with fresh eyes. Hyenas are, in fact, highly intelligent social predators — not just scavengers — with complex family structures and communication patterns. Their distinctive whooping vocalizations and the way they interact within the group reveal a depth of behavior that surprises most first-time observers. This exhibit is one of those Zoo Miami stops that tends to change how visitors feel about an animal they thought they already knew.