Abstract:
The distribution of the brown hyaena (Hyaena brunnea) in southern Africa overlaps widely
with commercial livestock ranching.As a direct result,both perceived and confirmed conflict
with farmers occurs and hyaenas are trapped for lethal control or translocation.We studied
the outcomes of a conflict-related brown hyaena translocation in Central Namibia involving a
subadult female – the first reported GPS-monitored translocation of this species. The animal
was moved 63 km from the conflict site and after exploratory movements settled into a new
home range incorporating resident conspecifics. The hyaena caused no further conflict and
did not return home to its original capture site where livestock depredation ceased. The
hyaena was killed in a road accident five months after release. We assess and review our
results (and brown hyaena translocations in general) with respect to species ecology,
previous translocations as well as monitoring data from resident conspecifics.We provide
supporting information that individual hyaenas can be translocated successfully but
emphasize that decisions need to be made case-specifically considering the age, sex and
social status of the animals. We highlight the importance of brown hyaena sociality when
considering translocation as a management tool.
