Mammals
Brown Hyena
Parahyaena brunnea · also called strandwolf
Trotting across a moonlit Kalahari dune, a brown hyena follows a scent miles from its den, a shaggy night scavenger that will carry what it finds home to a waiting clan.
Overview
The brown hyena, Parahyaena brunnea, is a Near Threatened scavenger native to desert and savanna habitat across southern Africa. Its shaggy coat, long solitary night foraging, and communal den life make it one of the most distinctive members of the hyena family.
A scavenger that feeds a clan
Though it forages alone, the brown hyena is a family animal, hauling food back to a communal den where cubs are raised by the whole clan.
Status
Near Threatened, with a population believed to number only a few thousand.
Brown Hyena: common questions
Is the brown hyena a hunter or a scavenger?
It is mainly a scavenger, feeding on carrion, though it also takes small animals, insects, eggs, and wild fruit.
Does the brown hyena live in a pack like the spotted hyena?
It lives in small clans that share a territory and den, but it forages alone, unlike the large hunting groups of the spotted hyena.
How does the brown hyena mark its territory?
It pastes a strong-smelling secretion onto grass stalks and other objects to mark the edges of its range.
Where is the brown hyena found?
It is native to desert and savanna habitat in southern Africa, including Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa.