BROWN HYENA – THE SHY SCAVENGER
Brown Hyenas is another of the vital links in the food chain in Africa. The Brown Hyena, Hyaena
brunnea, is also sometimes referred to as the Strand wolf.
The Brown Hyaena forms part of the dog family. It is slightly smaller in built than its nephew, the Spotted Hyena. It has dark brown coat with a white to yellowish mane that is clearly
visible when you see this animal. It stands about as high as the thigh of a grown man and weighs up to 50
kilograms. It also boasts with a well developed skull and jaw bones. It has a slightly more sloping back than the
Spotted Hyena. Brown Hyenas have a strong neck and powerful forequarters. This is need for when they need to carry
carrion away from a specific area. Hyenas have extraordinary senses. They can smell extremely well and their eyes
are adapted so that they can see in the dark. Their hearing is very acute as well, making them highly specialised
scavengers and sometimes hunters.
Contact u now to arrange your Namibia safari where you will have the chance to spot these animals in the
wild.
The Brown Hyena is sometimes called the Strand wolf. This name comes from the
region they are often seen. Along the Skeleton coast of Namibia, Brown Hyena is very prominent. They prefer semi to
true desert areas. This ensures that their territories do not easily overlap with the Spotted Hyenas. Their home
ranges or territories are very big, as the areas they live in are not high in food productivity. Some home ranges
have been measure and were up to 300 square kilometres, which is very big for one clan. In Namibia the Brown Hyaena
is also found in the Kalahari Desert, as well as in Etosha National park. In areas like Etosha National Park the
home ranges will be much smaller, as there is an abundance of food and water. These animals are much more secluded
and shy than the Spotted Hyenas, making them more difficult to observe in nature.
The Brown Hyena also forms clans. These clans are seldom more than 5 animals. The reason for this is the
availability of food. As they prefer desert areas there is much less food around than in other parts. The core of
such a clan will be the family; it will be the female with her offspring, and then possibly another male. The home
ranges of the Brown Hyena are marked by s foul smelling paste. This paste is smeared on grass stems and other
pieces in the area. The anal pouch of the Brown Hyena can protrude like a balloon. This is then used to mark their
territory. Breeding is again non seasonal with the female giving birth after about 90 days. There can be 2 to
5 pups, but mortality rate will be higher if more pups are born, making 2 to 3 pups a reasonable safe number for
survival.
Brown Hyenas are much more of a scavenger than the spotted hyena. It will walk for up to 30 kilometres a day in
search of food. It will patrol the beaches and the areas in the hummock dunes in search of food. It will take Cape
fur seals, Kelp gulls and even will eat White mussels that might have washed ashore. It is a versatile predator and
scavenger. Due to not too much competition in the Skeleton Coast area, the brown hyena population is doing well.
The population in the Kalahari Desert is much bigger, but also more under threat when these animals venture onto
farm land. They will take lambs, and will be shot if found.
The Brown Hyaena is a lovely animal that needs protection. It is well and truly protected in Namibia in the
various National Parks and game reserves. This is good news for this special animal of the Namib and Kalahari
Deserts.
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