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Brown Hyena
Brown hyenas really are brown with
whitish manes and very long, shaggy hair -- particularly compared
to spotted hyenas. They prefer dry areas but can be found in the Okavango
Detla. Best viewing however, is in the Kalahari, expecially the Central
Kalahari Game Reserve. They were once thought to be quite closely
related to striped hyenas, but may be more closely related to spotted
hyenas instead. Typical of its family, with a bulky head and back
sloping toward the rear, the brown hyena has long, rough hair over
much of its body, with a mane of even longer hair on the neck and
shoulders. This hyena is usually dark brown to brownish-black in color,
with a lighter-brown mane and legs. Unless in a family group, the
brown hyena is solitary, but it sometimes gathers with others in a
hunting pack or at a big carcass. It lives in a large territory, which
it marks with secretions from anal scent glands and with feces.During
the day, the brown hyena sleeps among rocks or tall grass. Otherwise,
it may find a burrow, often one left by another animal, such as an
aardvark. It emerges at night to find carrion or to hunt prey such
as rodents, birds, including poultry, reptiles or wounded large animals.
A litter of 2 to 4 young is born in a burrow after a gestation of
92 to 98 days. The young are suckled for about 3 months but remain
with their parents for up to 18 months, during which the male brings
them food. Although protected in game reserves, brown hyenas are considered
pests because of their habit of attacking livestock, and large numbers
have been killed by farmers. |
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