Filmmaker John Varty examines the spotted hyena's social life and hunting ways and explains why this super predator is so often misunderstood.

The Spotted Hyena has managed to hold its own amongst a savage world of competitive predators- but how does it achieve such a high status? The answer lies in its adaptability, its family structure, its physiology and its opportunistic behaviour. Second, only to the lion, the hyena dominates all other predators out on the African plains- obtaining meat while the opportunity exists is this bear-like scavengers top priority.