The rarest hyena on Earth is a misunderstood scavenger that can tree a leopard

Nature · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The brown hyena, or strandwolf, is a master of the Southern African wilderness. Often wrongly persecuted by farmers who mistake its scavenging for predation, this elusive carnivore is actually a vital ecological actor. With a unique social structure and a surprisingly bold temperament, it remains a misunderstood desert survivor.

The brown hyena (Parahyaena brunnea) is the rarest of all extant hyena species, with a global population estimated between 4,000 and 10,000 individuals. Primarily found in Southern Africa, including Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa, these animals are highly adapted to arid environments like the Kalahari Desert. Unlike their more famous spotted cousins, brown hyenas exhibit minimal sexual dimorphism, with males weighing roughly 40 to 44 kilograms and females slightly less. They are distinguished by their shaggy, dark brown coats and a distinct cream-colored neck ruff that bristles during confrontations.

Despite being primarily scavengers, brown hyenas are formidable kleptoparasites. They frequently steal kills from leopards, cheetahs, and black-backed jackals. Their confidence is such that a single brown hyena may charge a leopard with its jaws wide open, often forcing the cat to retreat into a tree. This aggressive behavior allows them to dominate as top carnivores in areas where lions and spotted hyenas are scarce. Their diet is remarkably diverse, ranging from small rodents and birds to desert truffles and various melons, which help them survive in regions where water is not always readily available.

Socially, they live in stable clans of four to six individuals. These groups maintain territories marked by 'pasting'—a process where the hyena deposits a black and white secretion from its anal gland onto vegetation and boulders. While they are cooperative breeders, their survival is threatened by human persecution. Farmers often kill them, falsely believing they are responsible for livestock deaths when they are merely scavenging carcasses. Conservation efforts, including protected areas like the Etosha National Park and educational campaigns, are currently underway to dispel these myths and protect this unique, near-threatened species.

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