Thanks to spotted hyenas’ unusual social structure, males experience a tough life of solitude, harassment, and deprivation. Thanks also to our supporters on https://www.patreon.com/MinuteEarth ___________________________________________ If you want to learn more about this topic, start your googling with these keywords: Sex role reversed species: a species in which males and females exhibit roles other than what might be expected based on other aspects of their biology and mating systems ___________________________________________ Credits (and Twitter handles): Script Writer: Kate Yoshida (@KateYoshida) Script Editor: Emily Elert (@eelert) Video Illustrator: Ever Salazar (@eversalazar) Video Director: Kate Yoshida (@KateYoshida) Video Narrator: Kate Yoshida (@KateYoshida) With Contributions From: Henry Reich, Alex Reich, Peter Reich, David Goldenberg Music by: Nathaniel Schroeder: http://www.soundcloud.com/drschroeder Video Credits: Hyenas feeding - Kate Yoshida Image Credits: Scarface - Kate Yoshida _________________________________________ Like our videos? Subscribe to MinuteEarth on YouTube: http://goo.gl/EpIDGd Support us on Patreon: https://goo.gl/ZVgLQZ And visit our website: https://www.minuteearth.com/ Also, say hello on: Facebook: http://goo.gl/FpAvo6 Twitter: http://goo.gl/Y1aWVC And download our videos on itunes: https://goo.gl/sfwS6n ___________________________________________ If you liked this week’s video, we think you might also like: A blog by researchers currently studying spotted hyenas in Kenya's Masai Mara: http://msuhyenas.blogspot.com/ ___________________________________________ References: Chepko-Sade, B. D. & Z. T. Halpin. 1987. Mammalian dispersal patterns: the effects of social stucture on population genetics. University of Chicago Press. Chicago, Illinois. Holekamp, K.E. & Smale, L. (2000) Feisty females and meek males: reproductive strategies in the spotted hyena. In Reproduction in Context. K. Wallen and J. Schneider (Eds). MIT Press. Cambridge. MA. Pp. 257-285. Kruuk H. 1972. The spotted hyena: a study of predation and social behavior. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Smale, L., Nunes, S., and Holekamp, K.E. (1997) Sexually dimorphic dispersal in mammals: patterns, causes and consequences. Advances in the Study of Behavior 26: 181-250. Strauss, E., February 2017, personal communication. Turner, J., June 2017, personal communication. Van Horn, R.C., McElhinny, T.L. & Holekamp, K. E. (2003) Age estimation and dispersal in the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta). Journal of Mammalogy 84: 1019-1030. Watts, H. E. & Holekamp, K. E. (2007) Hyena societies. Current Biology 17: R657-R660.