Brown Hyena hunting in Zimbabwe

Brown Hyenas have pointed ears, striped legs, a shaggy brown to black coat and a long cream-coloured mane extending from their neck to their shoulders. These solitary silent animals are shyer than their more numerous cousins, the Spotted Hyena. They are more likely to be found in areas with no or less Spotted Hyena activity. Brown Hyenas occur in the more arid regions of the country, this includes the Limpopo River basin in the south, the semi-arid western regions, especially the Tuli region and the far northern regions of the Zambezi Valley. Brown Hyenas seem to operate under the radar as such and are often not even expected to be encountered or even seen in some areas. They are mostly scavengers and may occasionally prey on small animals or eat birds’ eggs, insects and wild fruit. Although the clan defends a territory together, they do not forage together and spend the day lying up in thick bush or making use of a large uninhabited burrow. Being shy nocturnal scavengers, these animals are often overlooked as a hunting option in Zimbabwe. Brown Hyena are listed by the IUCN as near threatened and can be hunted on a Zimbabwe license but cannot be exported to the USA.