Brown hyenas are notoriously elusive. They are solitary creatures but are known to also live in small clans.
Their species is also the rarest hyena. The global population of brown hyena is estimated by IUCN to be between 4,000 and 10,000 and its conservation status is marked as near threatened.
A webcam situated in Addo Elephant National Park recently caught a rare moment when a brown hyena came for a drink on Tuesday [June 30].
‘A very rare Brown hyena surprised us on the Addo webcam when it came to the water hole to quench its thirst. It was a very special sighting, especially in broad daylight as they are usually more active at night,’ posted the Park on YouTube.
Take a look at the video, which also features a compilation of other brown hyena sightings:
Brown hyenas typically mate during the winter season from May to August. Interestingly, brown hyena clans practice collaborative breeding habits. Mothers suckle the cubs of other females, and all clan members take part in bringing food back to the den for cubs that are too young to hunt, according to Animal Diversity.
This species is also known colloquially as a ‘strandwolf’, (beach wolf in Afrikaans), particularly on the Skeleton Coast of Namibia as they often scavenge the shoreline for dead seals.
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Image credit: Screenshot
