Hyaena brunnea
Silhouette: Margot Michaud · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
The brown hyena (Parahyaena brunnea), also called the strandwolf, is a species of hyena found in Namibia, Botswana, western and southern Zimbabwe, southern Mozambique, western Eswatini, and South Africa. It is the only extant species in the genus Parahyaena. It is currently the rarest species of hyena. The largest remaining brown hyena population is located in the southern Kalahari Desert and coastal areas in Southwest Africa. The global population of brown hyena is estimated by IUCN at a number between 4,000 and 10,000 and its conservation status is marked as near threatened in the IUCN Red List.
Brown hyenas are distinguished from other species by their long shaggy dark brown coat, pointed ears, and short tail. Their legs are striped brown and white, and adults have a distinct cream-colored fur ruff around their necks. Erectile hairs up to 305 mm (12.0 in) in length cover the neck and back and bristles during agonistic behavior. Body length is 144 cm (57 in) on average with a range of 130–160 cm (51–63 in). Shoulder height is 70–80 cm (28–31 in) and the tail is 25–35 cm (9.8–13.8 in) long. Unlike the larger spotted hyena, there are no sizable differences between... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilanesberg National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Namib-Naukluft National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 4 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 5 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 6 | Chobe National Park | 🇧🇼 Botswana |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prague Zoo | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 2 | výzkumný chov jelenů | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 3 | Zoológico de San Juan de Aragón | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 4 | Shanghai Ocean Aquarium | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 5 | Rákosův pavilon | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 6 | Velemlokárium | 🇨🇿 Czechia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Brown Hyaena sighting in Chobe National Park on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 33rd most-seen of the 35 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April and July
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Brown Hyaena in Chobe National Park on a given day, against under 5% in May and August–March, the lowest months. Those are among Chobe National Park's driest months, with about 15 mm of rain a month against 150 mm in January.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Brown Hyaena sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
6th of 6
Of the 6 parks where we can rate Brown Hyaena sightings, Chobe National Park ranks 6th at about 10%. The best odds are in Pilanesberg National Park (South Africa, about 30%), Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (South Africa, about 20%) and Namib-Naukluft National Park (Namibia, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Brown Hyaena is recorded against all the mammals logged in Chobe National Park (5 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
