Hyenas: Incredibly Intelligent

By Hady Mawajdeh,

Published March 11, 2015 at 11:56 AM EDT

Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology Christine Drea upclose with a hyena

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Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology Christine Drea is featured in Smithsonian Channel series "Killer IQ: Lion vs. Hyena."

Kathy Moorhouse / http://dukemagazine.duke.edu

Screenshot from Smithsonian Channel series "Killer IQ: Lion vs. Hyena"

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Animal behaviorist Kevin Richardson sitting with Hyenas.

smithsonianchannel.com/shows/killer-iq-lion-vs-hyena

Some of the world’s top animal behaviorists are leading a groundbreaking study of lions and hyenas for the Smithsonian Channel series Killer IQ: Lions vs. Hyena.

Lions and spotted hyenas are pitted against each other in a series of intellectual challenges. The experiments reveal the secrets of predator success and how living in a complex social group might help to make a species smarter.

Guest host Phoebe Judge talks with Christine Drea, professor of evolutionary anthropology and biology at Duke University, about hyenas' social hierarchy and how to test their intelligence.

NPR's Barbara J. King wrote an article in 2013 that shows the IQ of hyenas may offer clues to the evolution of human's past.

Preview part of Killer IQ: Lions vs. Hyena by watching the video below:

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Hady Mawajdeh

Hady Mawajdeh is a native Texan, born and raised in San Antonio. He listened to Fresh Air growing up and fell in love with public radio. He earned his B.A. in Mass Communication at Texas State University and specialized in electronic media. He worked at NPR affiliate stations KUT and KUTX in Austin, Texas as an intern, producer, social media coordinator, and a late-night deejay.

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Phoebe Judge

Phoebe Judge is an award-winning journalist whose work has been featured on a numerous national radio programs. She regularly conducts interviews and anchors WUNC's broadcast of Here & Now. Previously, Phoebe served as producer, reporter and guest host for the nationally distributed public radio program The Story. Earlier in her career, Phoebe reported from the gulf coast of Mississippi. She covered the BP oil spill and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina for Mississippi Public Broadcasting and National Public Radio. Phoebe's work has won multiple Edward R. Murrow and Associated Press awards. Phoebe was born and raised in Chicago and is graduate of Bennington College and the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies.

See stories by Phoebe Judge