Striped hyenas are nocturnal scavengers whose welfare in zoos is often poor due to misunderstanding of their behavioral needs and unjustified negative cultural perceptions.
Striped hyena welfare in zoos suffers from a combination of cultural stigma, misunderstanding of their behavioral needs, and secondary status relative to more charismatic carnivores. These intelligent, capable animals often receive less enrichment investment than lions or leopards, despite having equivalent cognitive complexity and behavioral needs. Their nocturnal nature means that diurnal zoo exhibition conflicts with their natural activity cycle, causing chronic sleep disruption. Solitary housing requirements are often met appropriately but the enrichment environment that would fulfill their intelligence and scent-based behavioral needs is frequently inadequate. Challenging the negative cultural narrative around hyenas and presenting them accurately as ecologically vital, cognitively sophisticated animals serves both welfare and conservation education goals.