A rougher-looking and more isolated relative of the spotted hyena is the brown hyena (Parahyaena brunnea). Only found in the southwestern region of Africa, it frequently visits regions where its larger cousin is either nonexistent or very uncommon.

Five Interesting Facts

The Namib and Kalahari deserts’ harsh landscapes are where the brown hyena is most well-known. There, it might rove 30 miles per night in pursuit of food.

In order to appear larger and more frightening during fights, brown hyenas would puff out their creamy neck ruff and lift their long brown mane. During territorial disputes, these characteristics are frequently harmed or removed.
This resourceful species is primarily a scavenger, although it will also consume desert melons and ostrich eggs.

Because of its propensity to search the seashore for dead seals and other food dropped by the sea, the brown hyena on Namibia’s Skeleton Coast has earned the Afrikaans moniker “strandwolf,” which means “beach dog.”

Even on the outskirts of suburbia, this adaptable species may thrive. In the Magaliersbug hills to the north of Pretoria, fortunate tourists could even catch a sight of one.
By “pasting” secretions from their anal gland onto grass stalks, adults demarcate their territory. Each hyena’s identity and the time since its last visit are revealed by the white blob that is left behind. In this manner, every hyena in a region is aware of what the others are doing.