Discovering the Brown Hyenas of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve

Published on: 26/08/2024

Brown hyena cub resting on a mound in a sunlit field.

Photo title: Brown Hyena Cub

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Photo Credits: Sarah Kingdom

We woke early, just before sunrise, ready to head to Deception Pan. The sun was just beginning to rise as we reached the pan. The fringe of grass around the pan glowed golden in the early morning light. Springbuck and gemsbok grazed on tufts of dry grass, and a yellow-billed kite sat in a thorn tree above us. A family of bat-eared foxes foraged and darted nervously in and out of their burrow. A pair of jackals called to one another as they trotted across the pan, their coats glistening in the early morning golden morning light.

We drove on and, rounding a corner, spotted my very favourite of safari creatures, a brown hyena. Having just crossed the road it was now moving into the scrub and bushes. Surprisingly for a nocturnal and usually shy animal, it wasn’t moving quickly and didn’t seem to be paying us any attention at all. Its shaggy coat blended into the shadows of the bush and its ears twitched slightly, listening to the sounds of the early morning. It sniffed and scent marked on the bushes as it slipped into the thick vegetation. This would be just one of our encounters with the brown hyenas of the CKGR, but it was the closest we would get and the only one we would see during daytime.

The Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) is a haven for the brown hyena, one of Africa's most elusive, misunderstood and fascinating creatures. These enigmatic animals, with their unique behaviour and adaptations, offer a glimpse into the intricate web of life in one of the world's most challenging environments.

Let’s dive deep into the den and discover some more about brown hyenas…

The brown hyena…

Brown hyenas (Parahyaena brunnea), also known as strandwolf (Afrikaans for ‘beach dogs’), are one of the rarest species of hyenas. Found in Namibia, Botswana, western and southern Zimbabwe, southern Mozambique, and South Africa, these amazing creatures are easily identifiable by their pointed ears, striped legs, shaggy dark brown coats, and short tails. Adult brown hyenas also have a distinct cream-coloured fur ruff around their necks, and powerful jaws that are capable of cracking bones - a testament to their scavenging skills.

Location, location, location…

Brown hyenas inhabit a variety of environments, from desert and semi-desert, to open woodland savannah. These are highly adaptable animals and can even survive around urban areas, by scavenging, though they do prefer rocky mountainous regions that provide ample shade. Brown Hyenas tend to have extensive home ranges, anywhere from 200 - 500km² and have learnt not to depend on regular or frequent water, obtaining most of their water from the bodies of their prey. (Even lactating females can survive without water for over one week).

Historically, the brown hyena's range extended much further than it does today, even including parts of Europe during the Upper Pliocene and Middle Pleistocene periods (5 million - 1 million years ago). Today, brown hyenas are predominantly confined to Southern Africa, with the largest populations found in the southern Kalahari Desert and coastal areas of Southwest Africa.

Socially acceptable behavior…

Brown hyenas live in clans, with a social hierarchy that includes an alpha pair, who share equal status, and their offspring. The alpha female is usually the oldest female in the pack, while the males climb the social ladder through confrontations with higher-ranking males. Females tend to remain in their natal clan for their entire lives, eventually becoming breeding adults. Most if not all the males disperse from their natal clans once they reach adulthood, heading off to join new packs, ensuring genetic diversity.
A brown hyena clan is typically composed of four to six individuals. The clan is both highly territorial and completely cooperative with the raising of the cubs – when it comes to family these are gentle, social creatures and strong kinship bonds.

In an interesting quirk, brown hyenas mark their territories in a rather unique way, known as ‘pasting’, where they deposit secretions from their anal glands onto vegetation and boulders.

Brown hyena scavenging a carcass in a dry, open field.

Photo title: Brown Hyena

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Photo Credits: Sarah Kingdom

Dietary requirements…

Brown hyenas are first and foremost scavengers. They rely on the carcasses left behind by the larger predators, and supplement their diet with rodents, insects, eggs, fruit, and occasionally even fungi like the desert truffle (Kalaharituber pfeilii). Despite their poor hunting skills, they can, and do, occasionally take down small prey, such as springhares, springbok lambs, bat-eared foxes, and korhaans. Their sense of smell is also exceptional, allowing them to locate carcasses from great distances. When it comes to food, brown hyenas can be aggressive kleptoparasites, and will often steal a kill from cheetahs, leopards or black-backed jackals. In the Kalahari Desert, where lions and spotted hyenas are less common, brown hyenas often dominate the scavenging hierarchy.

The circle of life…

Brown hyenas don’t have a specific mating season and the females typically give birth for the first time at around two years of age. Mating primarily occurs from May-August, and females will often mate with nomadic males rather than those from their own clan, ensuring genetic diversity.

Gestation lasts about three months, with females then giving birth in dens hidden in remote sand dunes, safely away from other predators. The average litter usually consist of no more than five cubs, which are born blind and weigh in at less than 1kg. Mothers wean their cubs at around 12 months and the youngsters start leaving the den at around 18 months. Interestingly, and unlike spotted hyenas, all the members of a brown hyena clan will contribute to feeding and caring for the young, improving their chances of survival.

To the future and beyond…

The global population of brown hyenas is estimated to be somewhere between 4,000 and 10,000 individuals - given their shyness and preference for remote locations, it’s hard to be more accurate. Currently listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, the main threats to brown hyenas are human persecution and habitat loss. Sadly, farmers often mistake brown hyenas for livestock killers, when they are merely scavenging on carcasses, leading to unnecessary killings. Additionally, brown hyena body parts are sometimes used in traditional medicines and rituals.

Conservation efforts are crucial for the survival of these amazing creatures, with protected areas such as the CKGR playing an important role in preserving these unique animals.

Playing eye spy…

Observing brown hyenas in their natural habitat is an exciting experience. These nocturnal creatures are generally shy and elusive, making sightings a rare and memorable event.

Visitors to CKGR regularly have unforgettable encounters with brown hyenas, usually during early morning or late evening game drives. Watching a brown hyena emerging from the bush, marking its territory, or scavenging for food, will give you a unique insight into the life of one of Africa's most enigmatic and interesting carnivores.

Wrapping it up…

The brown hyenas of CKGR are a testament to incredible resilience and amazing adaptability, in the harshest of environments. Their intricate social structures, scavenging habits, and survival strategies make them a fascinating subject for wildlife enthusiasts and researchers alike, and as conservation efforts continue, we can hope to see brown hyena populations maintain their crucial role in the ecosystem. Visit CKGR and see for yourself these truly remarkable creatures.

Sarah Kingdom

Travel writer, mountain guide, yoga teacher, trail runner and mother, Sarah Kingdom was born and brought up in Sydney, Australia. Coming to Africa at 21 she fell in love with the continent and stayed. Sarah guides on Kilimanjaro several times a year, and has lost count of how many times she has stood on the roof of Africa. She has climbed and guided around the world and now spends most of her time visiting remote places in Africa. When she is not traveling she runs a cattle ranch in Zambia with her husband.

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Discovering the Brown Hyenas of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve

Sarah Kingdom