Photo by Anne Engh

Although hyenas look and act a lot like dogs, hyenas and dogs aren't closely related. The four members of Family Hyaenidae (spotted hyenas, brown hyenas, striped hyenas, and aardwoves) are most closely related to mongooses (Family Herpestidae) and civets (Family Viverridae). Hyenas and dogs are probably so alike because they both do the same "job", that is, they are both carnivores who feed on medium-sized ungulates. In ecological terms, hyenas and dogs fill similar niches.