Are hyenas kind beasts when not hunting?

I believe so, yes. Hyenas have been known to adopt stray wild dogs and jackals into their packs. I recently watched a program on National Geographic Channel where exactly this happened. A pack of hyenas allowed a wild dog into their pack that had lost her pack during a hunt. read more

A pack of hyenas allowed a wild dog into their pack that had lost her pack during a hunt. The wild dog eventually ranked second-highest in the pack. The same pack also adopted the two jackals that had been accompanying her. People have this misinterpretation about hyenas where they are portrayed as dirty, lazy scavengers. read more

The spotted hyenas are an example of how the cooperative form of hunting can be dictated by the type of prey, as well as the predator’s ability to hunt and kill the different types of prey. When hyenas hunt an animal that is bigger than themselves, they may hunt in packs and take down the prey by biting and dragging it to the ground. read more

Hyenas hunt primarily during the night, and they hunt quite often. Hyenas are no match against a pride of lions, so when confronted by lions, they simply hand the kill over. What people see the next morning is merely"a magnificent lion kill, with the hyenas trying to scavenge the lions' hard-earned prize". read more

Hyenas adapt their specific hunting strategy to the environment in which they live. In the Ngorogoro Crater, there is a very rich and concentrated amount of prey, and there are relatively many great beasts such as wildebeest or zebras. read more