The comparative feeding ecology of the brown hyaena in a cattle area and a national park in Botswana : research article

The lack of knowledge on the feeding ecology of brown hyaenas (Hyaena brunnea) living in farming areas and its vulnerable conservation status were the motivating factors behind this study. A comparison was made between the feeding ecology of brown hyaenas living in the vicinity of subsistence pastoralists and in the Makgadikgadi National Park away from human influences. This study investigated if the diet of brown hyaenas living in a cattle area would be positively or negatively influenced by the presence of pastoralists and if brown hyaenas hunted livestock. It was found that for brown hyaenas living in the cattle areas livestock carcasses were the most important food source and other less important food types were fed on as they became seasonally available. In the Makgadikgadi National Park, although zebras were the most important single food item, the composition of the diet varied according to the seasonal availability of food resources. There was no evidence to suggest that brown hyaenas hunted livestock, or any other significantly sized mammals, thus the persecution of them because of perceived livestock predation is unjustified. The dietary benefit derived by the brown hyaenas through the presence of subsistence pastoralists and their livestock carcasses, is likely to be the primary reason that brown hyaena populations in cattle areas appear to be viable.