The diet of the brown hyaena hyaena brunnea in the Southern Kalahari

Abstract

Four methods for studying the diet of the brown hyaena are discussed. A combination of direct observations (of individuals Fitted with radio collars and beta lights) and faecal analysis yielded the best information. Analysis of food items found at dens was also useful, but tracking spoor had severe limitations. The brown hyaena in the southern Kalahari is predominantly a scavenger of all kinds of vertebrate remains, supplementing its diet with insects, wild fruits, birds' eggs and the occasional small animal which it kills. It is thus well adapted to the harsh conditions of this arid region where large ungulates are thinly distributed.