BROWN HYAENA - Hyaena brunnea     

Brown Hyaena - Description:
There are no significant differences between the sexes in the brown hyaena. They have a short, broad muzzle with strong teeth adapted for crushing bone and long, pointed ears. Their dark brown coat is shaggy, with a light straw-coloured mantle and a tail of much longer hair; legs are a dark yellow-brown, with black stripes. Cubs are grey, with no mane and more stripes on the legs. The forequarters and longer front legs give the brown hyaena a sloping outline. Height at the shoulder 70-86 cm. Weight is 35-50kg.

Brown Hyaena – Habits, Behaviour and Social Organisation:
The brown hyaena is predominantly nocturnal but is also active during the late afternoon and early morning. Clans consist of up to 14 related adults, sons and daughters, with communal suckling and provisioning at the den. Clan members mark and defend territory against same-sex neighbours. Brown hyaenas forage alone, during which time they scent-mark up to 2-3 times per kilometre, depositing two different anal-sac secretions, a long-lasting (up to 30 days) white pomade and a black watery secretion that fades quickly. The white pomade establishes territories and the shorter-lasting dark secretion leaves a chemical message that lets other hyaenas know who has passed through the area - and thus helps them concentrate their energies in areas where no foraging has taken place recently. Hyaenas can cover up to 30 km per night. Home ranges are dependant on prey availability but on average are 235-480 km².

Brown Hyaena – Food and Hunting:
Brown hyaenas are opportunistic foragers and can survive in places where food and water are scarce. They eat almost everything with any food value. They scavenge large mammals, fruit, insects, eggs and vegetables, relying on sense of smell and stopping regularly to test the wind. When the brown hyaena finds a surplus of food it will cache it and return to eat night after night until it is finished. They hunt and kill only 6% of their food, mainly small mammals and birds. Melons provide most of their water during the dry season.

Brown Hyaena – Reproduction and Offspring:
Brown hyaenas are non-seasonal breeders. The gestation period is 90 days and the average litter size is 3 cubs. Cubs are born in a separate den and the mothers move them to a communal den when they are 3 months old. They are born blind; their eyes start to open at 8 days and are fully open by 14 days. Ears become erect at 28 days. Cubs begin to eat meat at 3 months but continue to nurse until 10 months old and are fully weaned at 15 months. Young start to forage on their own at the age of 14 months and are mature at 2½ years. Females mate with nomadic males; resident males show no sexual interest in the resident females.

Brown Hyaena - Adaptations:
Their teeth are adapted for crushing bone and they can digest bone and hide and survive on long-dead carcasses.

Brown Hyaena – Population and Distribution Worldwide:
The brown hyaena is found in the south-west arid zone and dry savannah south of the Zambezi River. It has been exterminated in South Africa, except for northern districts of the former Transvaal and the Cape Province. Estimated population: 5070-8020

Brown Hyaena Population in Namibia:
The latest estimate in Namibia was 522-1187. (Namibia Large Carnivore Atlas – July 2004).

Brown Hyaena – Conservation Status:
IUCN Red list: Near threatened. Population trend: decreasing. CITES: Not listed.