Competition and cooperation between litter-mates in the spotted hyaena, Crocuta crocuta

Spotted hyena litter-mates establish their hierarchial status from the first day of life and dominant male hyena litter-mates were as aggressive towards their siblings as their female litter-mates. Cubs of low-ranking mothers fought more than the cubs of high-ranking mothers. Cubs cooperated better for coalition formation with their litter mates than the hyenas of the other litters.