Bingley's post mentioning hyenas made me look them up (I was wondering where all their territory is). Look at the Latin in the etymology--it's still the same!
hy·e·na also hy·ae·na (hî-ç'nə)
n.
Any of several carnivorous mammals of the family Hyaenidae of Africa and Asia, which feed as scavengers and have powerful jaws, relatively short hind limbs, and coarse hair.

[Middle English hiena, from Old French hiene, from Latin hyaena, from Greek huaina, feminine of hûs, swine (from its bristly mane like a hog's).] (Gurunet)

The Latin spelling reminded me of something I've been meaning to ask here: how do most people pronounce the first sound in Oedipus? I was taught it as ed, same as edward. But perhaps some people say eed (rhymes with deed)?
I hope so, 'cause that's the only excuse I could come up with for my not catching on to the character's nickname in a book I'm reading: Rex Eatapuss.