Photograph of Brown Hyena spoor
Predator Conservation Trust: Brown Hyena information
Photo: Ingrid Wiesel
GROUP STRUCTURE
Spotted Hyena live in clans, in which most of the members are related.
These clans are far smaller than those of the spotted Hyena - typically up to
around 10 individuals. The social meeting point for the
clan is the den. When not at the den, the brown Hyenas are generally
solitary.
The clan has a home range which is marked by the members of the
clan who use anal scent glands to rub a paste onto anything suitable such as a
small bush. The Brown Hyena leaves two different pastes as a scent mark -
one white paste which gradually turns brown as it ages, and a black one.
Latrine sites are also used to mark territory. Clan home ranges can
overlap. The size of the home range is largely dependant on the
availability of food but other factors are involved.
|
