SEATTLE — If you hear a chorus of cackling at the Woodland Park Zoo, you aren’t imagining it!
The zoo has gained spotted hyenas for the first time in 25 years.
Razi, 3, and Mosi, 1, arrived from Metro Richmond Zoo located in Moseley, Virginia.
Razi and Mosi live in a habitat adjacent to where the lions live in the African Savanna.
The last spotted hyena at the zoo was a geriatric female named Mara, who retired in 2001 in an off-view habitat until she passed away at the age of 27, the zoo said.
“Hyenas often get a bad rap in movies and books—vilified because they are scavengers. However, contrary to this misconception, hyenas are highly intelligent and intriguing animals. Despite their reputation as scavengers, hyenas play an important role as one of Africa’s top predators and scavenging clean-up crews,”said Martin Ramirez, Curator of Mammalogy at Woodland Park Zoo. “Razi and Mosi will provide our visitors a rare window into their intricate world.”
You can learn more about the spotted hyena here.
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