In Touch With Nature: The rare and beautiful brown hyena #brownhyena #Intouchwithnature
Posted: September 25, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized 58 Comments
During my recent trip to Madikwe Game Reserve, I was truly privileged to see a brown hyena. Brown hyena are rare, their status is near threatened and their population is decreasing. They are also secretive and solitary scavengers who are nocturnal. Generally, the only sign I see of brown hyena activity is their footprints in the morning dew.
Brown hyenas have pointed ears and striped legs with a dark brown to black shaggy coat. The shoulders and neck are lighter in colour. Brown hyenas are smaller than spotted or laughing hyenas, standing at 0.8 metres at the shoulders and weighing approximately 40 kilograms. They have a long cream-coloured mane which extends from the back of their necks to their shoulder blades. Their legs have brown and grey bars.
The brown hyena is a carnivore but is mainly a scavenger, feeding on the carcasses of large herbivores killed by other animals. It supplements its diet with insects, birds’ eggs, and will fruits and will occasionally kill small animals. Brown hyenas have powerful jaws and young hyenas can crack the leg bones of an small antelope in five minutes. Their teeth and jaws deteriorate with age and dental wear.
Brown hyenas live in small clans ranging from a breeding pair and their young to groups of several mature males and females. The clan defends its territory as a group but they do not forage as a group. Brown hyenas live in thick bushes, deserted Aardvark burrows or caves.
Brown hyenas mark their territory by ‘pasting’, a process whereby the hyena deposits secretions from its large anal gland on vegetation and boulders. The anal gland is located below the base of the tail and produces a black and white paste. I have seen this pasting in various places during safaris in the game reserve.
This is not my video but it is interesting. A brown hyena chases a leopard up a tree.
I wrote a song parady recently about the brown hyena and the fact they do not laugh like the spotted hyena. You can read it here: https://roberta-writes.com/2024/09/06/roberta-writes-thursday-doors-and-dverse-just-for-laughs-madikwe-brownhyenas-songparody/
About Roberta Eaton Cheadle
Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.
Roberta has two published novels and a collection of short stories and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).
Roberta is also the author and illustrator of sixteen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of three poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.
Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle
Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobertaEaton17
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5
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Excellent post on the brown hyena, Robbie!
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Thank you, Miriam. I’m so pleased you enjoyed this post.
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These are really beautiful photos, Robbie! It’s good that they keep their distance. Otherwise I would be a little afraid. Thanks for sharing, and best wishes! xx Michael
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Thank you so much, Michael. My photography continues to improve and I love all the pictures I have of southern African wildlife.
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The brown hyena is beautiful! I can understand why seeing one would be on your bucket list! Congratulations on capturing this special moment!
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Thank you, Kymber. I am always so lucky with my sightings on trips. I am also determined and patient which helps.
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Very informative post, Robbie, with great photos by you! The video of the brown hyena chasing a leopard into a tree is amazing!
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Hi Dave, it is amazing that a leopard runs from a hyena. What is more amazing is how all these predators kill and eat each others offspring to get rid of competition for food.
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Great photos, Robbie. How exciting that you finally got to see them!
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HI Merril, we are always lucky. I always make great friends with the guides and they always manage to conjure up what I want to see. It is truly amazing.
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Very nice. It must be amazing. 😊
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Yes, it is amazing.
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Fantastic images, Robbie. So much to learn about nature, its beauty and diversity.
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Thank you, Grant. I am so lucky to live in South Africa and be so close to all this wonder.
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Really neat to see more of your wildlife photos and learn more about hyenas 🙂
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HI Dave, I’m glad you liked this brown hyena post. I will discuss spotted or laughing hyenas in October and why their back legs are short.
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Sounds like a rare sighting. So happy one appeared.
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I am always lucky, Craig. I think I show so much enthusiasm for animals, the guides go to great lengths to find the animals I want to see. We always leave delighted with our sightings and I always post all my photographs on Instagram, Unsplash and YT and tag the lodge which is nice for them too.
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Aw… makes me want to have one as a friend!
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We had one in our local park a few years ago. Not great for the bird life. Smile!
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Great post Robbie
Thank you for sharing.
They are cuter than their spotted friends.
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Hi Maggie, they are lovely. I am very fond of hyenas as I think they are fascinating creatures.
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Hi Roberta it was a great post.
Thank you again 💖
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My pleasure
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I’ve never seen one of these creatures. Lovely photos!
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Thank you, Stevie. Seeing this hyena was one of the highlights of this most recent trip.
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Amazing how large the hackles are with these guys! It sure gives proper notice!
Great shots Robbie!
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Hi Wayne, I am a big hyena fan. Next month I’ll write about spotted hyenas and also why the back legs are a little shorter. There is an interesting African myth about that.
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looking forward to it!
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What a great photo, Robbie. I’m so glad you saw the brown hyena!
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Thank you, Colleen. I am delighted I saw it.
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Wow, Roberta. Such great pictures and a superb video! Hyenas are really magnificent creatures! I like the mane shown standing up on the video. A hyena chasing a leopard up a tree is amazing to me.
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Hi Tim, that video is amazing. It’s astonishing that a leopard runs from a hyena. I’m so pleased you enjoyed this post.
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Thank you for this profile on the brown hyena, Robbie!
It is a wonderful nature lesson.
Yes, what a beautiful creature. It looks so cute and huggable, but that would not work out well.
So, hugging them with my heart is the way to go, and like all endangered animals (and all animals) respect them by not destroying their habitats or hunting them.
Thank you Kaye Lynne for hosting Robbie, and this fab series!
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Its always my pleasure, Resa. 🤗
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🤗
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Hi Resa, it delights me that you have enjoy these wildlife posts. I love sharing about our southern African flora and fauna. I am looking forward to our next trip into the bush in early Jan.
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Loved this post,pics, and information. How wonderful you got to see this rare hyena on your safari!
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I know, Denise, I have the best luck on safaris. It helps that I make friends with the guides who share may passion for nature. They always go the extra mile for me.
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I love travelling with you, Robbie. Always an adventure that brings me ever closer to nature. We share this world with amazing creatures.
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I’m glad to know this, Rebecca. Thank goodness for all the dedicated men and women who are devoted to saving our wildlife.
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Fascinating post, Robbie!
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Thank you, Dawn. Hyenas are interesting creatures.
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That video with the brown hyena chasing the leopard was very interesting. I learned a lot about brown hyenas reading this post. It is sad that their status is near threatened and their population is decreasing.
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Most animals are threatened because of land grabbing by humans. It is a great tragedy. I am delighted by your support of my animal posts, Thomas.
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I love your animal posts
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They have beautiful coats that really blend well with the landscape. Congratulations on your sighting!
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Hi Kerfe, I was thrilled to see this wonderful animal.
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Thank you, Robbie, because I do enjoy these safari trips with you!
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Wonderful photos and post, Robbie. It’s great that you take us along on these adventures. 🙂
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Hi Lauren, it delights me that you are interested in these animals. I love seeing them so much 💕
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The hyena in the final video was having a really BAD hair day. Otherwise, I’m surprised at how attractive they are. You never hear anything good about hyenas, but they seem to be a critical part of the ecology of the region. Great pictures and priceless information. Thank you!
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Hi Marilyn, hyenas are lovely animals, it is unfortunate how they’ve been given such bad press. They are my favourite predator.
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Oh that hair! I love the stripes on the legs.
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Haha, they are amazing aren’t they?
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Yes!
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What a privilege to see these Hyenas, Robbie. Wonderful images. Thanks for sharing.
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My pleasure, Carla. It was a real treat.
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