Female Broos & Hyenas ?

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From: jeffjoh@microsoft.com
Date: Wed 13 Apr 1994 - 06:42:00 EEST

I thought I'd add a final bit of obscure but perhaps crucial trivia to the female broo discussion.

Perhaps female broos are like hyenas.

Dominant female hyenas (they live in packs led by a matriarch) have elevated levels of male sex hormones, with peculiar results.

The first is that their offspring, inheriting these high hormone levels, are extremely aggressive and will attempt to kill thier siblings within minutes of birth.

The more pertinent factoid is that such female hyenas have huge clitorises that cannot be distinguished except at very close range from penises.

I kid you not. Most people would think a hyena matriarch was male.

A similar explanation may explain why people think there are no broo females.

Jeff Johnson

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