Hyena in Delta park…?

[Stretch]

rumour has it, it has been relocated there to sort out the stravasshole population

[Kranswurm]

A summary of most interesting statistics (size, gestation...), amazing environmental adaptations & fascinating facts about social habits, etc.

SIZE: The brown hyena is slightly smaller than the spotted hyena

COLOUR: Dark brown in colour, black face and long pointed ears.

SOUNDS / CALLS: Although very noisy at a carcass or kill, they do not make the laughing sound of the spotted hyena.

SENSES: They have a well-developed sense of smell and hearing.

DEFENCE: Brown hyenas can be dangerous, and will attack humans if cornered. They can run 50 km an hour over several kilometres.

MOST LIKE: Aardwolf and spotted hyena

HABITAT: Dry savannah is the preferred habitat of the brown hyena. They are not very dependant on water and live in arid areas.

SOCIAL HABITS: They are territorial, marking their territory with a secretion from the anal gland. Brown Hyenas are normally solitary animals, but form small packs to hunt if necessary. When they form a pack, a temporary hierarch is established.

FOOD / FEEDING HABITS: Brown hyenas are scavengers who feed off remains of kills, insects, fruit, birds and eggs. They have strong teeth and jaws.

REPRODUCTION & GESTATION PERIOD: It is easy to determine their sex, unlike the spotted hyena. Two to four cubs are born after a gestation period of three months, and maturity is reached at 3 years.

LIFESPAN / POTENTIAL LONGEVITY: Brown hyenas can live to 20 years in captivity.

CONSERVATION STATUS: Although not an endangered animal, Brown hyena numbers are low. There is no satisfactory explanation as to why these animals are so rare.

ENEMIES / MORTALITY: The major mortality factors are: old age, disease and confrontation with lions.

DISTRIBUTION: The brown hyena is mainly found in Southern Africa, but is mainly confined to nature reserves. They are very rare and seldom seen in the Kruger National Park.

[ValeYellow]

You forgot the emoticon....wait i will add it for you

yeah here's another

[rouxtjie]

Very shy animals... but not totally harmless, in the wild Brown Hyena dominates Leopard and Cheetah. Avg. weight around 40g but can be up to 75kg...

 

Aardwolf on the other hand is totally harmless.

Nope, you are thinking of its spotted cousin.

[Brighter-Lights]

Are brown hyenas pack or solo animals?

 

They mostly wander alone or in a male/female pair, but clans are not uncommon.

 

Some pics I took...

[jcmeyerSS]

Very shy animals... but not totally harmless, in the wild Brown Hyena dominates Leopard and Cheetah. Avg. weight around 40g but can be up to 75kg...

 

Aardwolf on the other hand is totally harmless.

Are you sure not mixing up Brown Hyena (Hyena Brunnea) with Spotted Hyena (Crocuta Crocuta).

Never seen or heard of a brown hyena showing any dominance over other carnivore especially Leopard.

 

@tumble their social structure varies dependent on their territory. In the Kalahari they have been found in clans of up to 12 animals with a dominate Matriarch or Alpha pair.

In the Zambezi Valley where i grew up they are found mostly in pairs or solitary.

[Brighter-Lights]

One more...

[Tumbleweed]

They mostly wander alone or in a male/female pair, but clans are not uncommon.

 

Some pics I took...

 

Nice pics!

 

Are you sure not mixing up Brown Hyena (Hyena Brunnea) with Spotted Hyena (Crocuta Crocuta).

Never seen or heard of a brown hyena showing any dominance over other carnivore especially Leopard.

 

@tumble their social structure varies dependent on their territory. In the Kalahari they have been found in clans of up to 12 animals with a dominate Matriarch or Alpha pair.

In the Zambezi Valley where i grew up they are found mostly in pairs or solitary.

 

Shot for the info!

[jcmeyerSS]

They mostly wander alone or in a male/female pair, but clans are not uncommon.

 

Some pics I took...

I take back my previous comment you definitely know the difference.

Great photos.

[rouxtjie]

I take back my previous comment you definitely know the difference.

Great photos.

+1, that is a brownie...but I can't see it dominating a leopard

[gummibear]

Great photos BL

[rouxtjie]

Great photos BL

Yea, beautiful...love their "shaggy" look.

[Brighter-Lights]

Are you sure not mixing up Brown Hyena (Hyena Brunnea) with Spotted Hyena (Crocuta Crocuta).

Never seen or heard of a brown hyena showing any dominance over other carnivore especially Leopard.

 

Brown Hyena (as in the photos I posted and took myself) dominates Leopard and Cheetah... the first time I read about it was in the wonderful book 'Cry of the Kalahari' - then experienced it second hand seeing a beautiful sequence of photos a neighbour at Nossob camp in Kgalagadi showed me. On a cold winters morning (-8) a Brown Heyna attacked 3 Cheetah and took their kill... wish I had those photos to show here...happened near Mata Mata.

[Brighter-Lights]

Good reading...

 

http://books.google.co.za/books?id=eBlckaRfyU4C&pg=PA135&lpg=PA135&dq=brown+hyena+dominates+leopard&source=bl&ots=MarvIChr32&sig=dra-kChbQ8EsTHXzIxse5_Heq9g&hl=en&sa=X&ei=xtxDUq_lAsSD4gTM-IHADg&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=brown%20hyena%20dominates%20leopard&f=false

[rouxtjie]

Brown Hyena (as in the photos I posted and took myself) dominates Leopard and Cheetah... the first time I read about it was in the wonderful book 'Cry of the Kalahari' - then experienced it second hand seeing a beautiful sequence of photos a neighbour at Nossob camp in Kgalagadi showed me. On a cold winters morning (-8) a Brown Heyna attacked 3 Cheetah and took their kill... wish I had those photos to show here...happened near Mata Mata.

Cheetah plausible and will take your word for it, but leopard....yoh yoh yoh

[Kranswurm]

Brown Hyena (as in the photos I posted and took myself) dominates Leopard and Cheetah... the first time I read about it was in the wonderful book 'Cry of the Kalahari' - then experienced it second hand seeing a beautiful sequence of photos a neighbour at Nossob camp in Kgalagadi showed me. On a cold winters morning (-8) a Brown Heyna attacked 3 Cheetah and took their kill... wish I had those photos to show here...happened near Mata Mata.

 

That book introduced me to the Kalahari and convinced me to move to Botswana

Sadly it was borrowed by a friend and never returned

Have spent many hours in Deception