Psychology
Olfactory Kin Recognition and Nepotism in Social Carnivores
Quick fact
Spotted hyenas can discriminate between the urine of a familiar kin and a non-relative from over a hundred meters away, and a mother hyena uses scent to recognize her own cubs, even among a crowded communal den, enabling her to direct milk specifically to her offspring.
Why this is interesting
When a spotted hyena greets a clan mate, it doesn't just sniff – it runs its nose over the other's scent glands. Could this simple act be the key to deciding who is family and who is food competition?