Hyenas are medium-to-large predators; the biggest species, the spotted hyena, is roughly the size of a sturdy, muscular large dog.

Overall size range

  • Most adult spotted hyenas are about 1.2–1.8 meters (4–5.9 feet) long from head to rump.
  • At the shoulder, they usually stand around 70–90 centimeters (about 27–36 inches) tall.
  • Typical adults weigh roughly 40–86 kilograms (about 88–190 pounds), with many sources placing common weights around 45–75 kilograms.

Males vs. females

  • In spotted hyenas, females are generally larger and heavier than males, often by around 10% in body weight.
  • Big females can reach or exceed about 80 kilograms (175 pounds), especially in some well-fed populations.

Different hyena species

  • Spotted hyenas are the largest and most powerful, while striped and brown hyenas are usually a bit lighter and slimmer.
  • Even the smaller species are still solidly built, often comparable in bulk to medium or large domestic dogs rather than foxes or coyotes.

If you’re picturing them as scruffy, small scavengers, they’re generally bigger, taller at the shoulder, and heavier than most people expect.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.