I'm an animal behavior major, so if you know me, you know I take animals very seriously. One of my all-time favorite animals is the spotted hyena. Yeah, that's right, a hyena. You've probably seen them in Disney's "The Lion King" portrayed as menaces. I'm here to explain to you why you should rethink your opinion of these incredible animals.

They aren't just mangy scavengers. In reality, they only scavenge about 50 percent of their food, which is more than just meat; they eat insects and berries, too. Hyenas actually have the strongest jaws of all mammals, with only alligators and crocodiles having stronger jaws in all of the animal kingdom. They have strong enough jaws to snap bones and the stomachs to digest them, and have also been seen eating up to 30 pounds of meat in one sitting! Although hyenas closely resemble dogs, they are more closely related to cats. A hyena is about as closely related to a lion as a dog is to a skunk. There are four species of hyena, the aardwolf, striped hyena, spotted hyena, and brown hyena. The spotted hyena are those represented in "The Lion King" and are of the least concern when it comes to their conservation status. Another cool fact about hyenas is that they live in matriarchal societies. This means that the grandmother hyena rules the pack! They can live in groups of up to 50 animals, with the females being more dominant than males. Even the lowest ranking female outranks the highest ranking male: Girl power! Another reason female hyenas rule the world is, well, they have pseudo-penises. That's right, in order for them to mate, they must retract their enlarged parts making rape physically impossible.

Some scientists actually consider hyenas to be some of the most intelligent animals on the planet. They have a number of different calls that mean different things, almost like their own "language." There is a lot of research currently being dedicated to spotted hyena calls. You've probably heard the expression "laughing hyena," and they actually do "laugh" when they're in playful social situations.

Overall, spotted hyenas are unique as are all animals. My most strongly held belief is that all creatures deserve equal love and respect: Including spotted hyenas.