Photo Ingrid Wiesel - 25 November 2004
Brown hyaena
Hyaena brunnea (Thunberg, 1820)
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Hyaenidae
Genus: Hyaena
Species: brunnea
The English name refers to the general dark brown colour of its pelage. It is also known as the strandjut or strandwolf (Afrikaans) in Southern Africa, a clear reference to their habit of frequenting beaches (Afrikaans = strand) – such as in Namibia, in search of carrion. The brown hyaena is obviously not a wolf. Compared to the more rounded ears of the spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta), the brown hyaena has pointed ears.
The brown hyaena is predominantly a scavenger and its diet includes a wide range of small mammals, birds, reptiles, fruit, and insects.
Literature
Skinner, J.D. and Smithers, R.H.N., 1990. The Mammals of the Southern African subregion. University of Pretoria, South Africa.