A recent study conducted by scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research examined the social hierarchies of spotted hyenas, revealing the complexity of their reproductive success metrics. The researchers analyzed data from 481 hyenas over 28 years, focusing on two ranking methods: 'ordinal rank,' which reflects absolute social position, and 'standardized rank,' which normalizes ranks based on group size. The study found that 'ordinal rank' better predicts reproductive success for most traits, such as offspring survival and age at first reproduction for females, while 'standardized rank' was more effective for understanding interbirth intervals. This indicates that different aspects of social rank influence reproductive success in varying ways. The researchers emphasized that higher-ranking females have improved access to food, which is crucial for nurturing offspring. Additionally, social dynamics during lactation play a significant role in determining reproductive outcomes. Overall, the study calls for a more nuanced approach to understanding social hierarchies in group-living animals, highlighting that metrics must be tailored to specific traits to accurately reflect their biological mechanisms.