Space and resource use by brown hyenas Hyaena brunnea in the Namib Desert

Abstract

Two clans of brown hyenas were studied on the arid chilly Namib Desert coast where very large seal colonies are present. Carcasses from seals were abundant during summer and autumn following the seal pupping season, and scarce in winter and spring. Hyenas fed predominantly on carcasses. Members of one clan of three hyenas obtained most of their food along 3 km of coastline adjacent to the seal colonies. The other clan of nine individuals obtained food from an area along 6 km of coastline north of the seal colonies. Although carcasses were usually scavenged, seal pups were seen to be killed on occasions. Time spent foraging was not affected by carcass availability. Territories of the two clans overlapped and individual home‐range size varied from 31.9 to 220 km2. Food availability apparently had no influence on foraging activities but the dispersal of food affected territory and group sizes. Over abundance of food results in the maintenance of territories extending beyond the distribution of food. The shape and area of these territories may result from the cultural inheritance of space.