Brown Hyaena
Brown HyaenaBrown HyaenaBrown HyaenaBrown Hyaena

Brown Hyaena

Hyaena brunnea

20–30% · Possible
overall probability at Pilanesberg National Park
32 Verified records at Pilanesberg National Park
April Best month highest sighting rate
🌅 Crepuscular When it's active at dawn and dusk

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. Wikipedia →

20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Brown Hyaena sighting in Pilanesberg National Park, based on 32 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Pilanesberg National Park

Lion
VU

Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Panthera leo

30–40% · Possible
Banded Mongoose
LC

Banded Mongoose

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Mungos mungo

30–40% · Possible
Leopard
VU Endemic

Leopard

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Panthera pardus

20–30% · Possible
Cheetah
VU

Cheetah

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Acinonyx jubatus

20–30% · Possible
Slender Mongoose

Slender Mongoose

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Galerella sanguinea

10–20% · With luck
Serval
LC

Serval

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Leptailurus serval

10–20% · With luck
Caracal
LC

Caracal

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Caracal caracal

Insufficient data
Common Dwarf Mongoose
LC

Common Dwarf Mongoose

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Helogale parvula

Insufficient data
Painted Hunting Dog
EN

Painted Hunting Dog

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lycaon pictus

Insufficient data
African Wildcat
LC

African Wildcat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Felis lybica

Insufficient data
White-tailed Mongoose
LC

White-tailed Mongoose

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Ichneumia albicauda

Insufficient data
Honey Badger
LC

Honey Badger

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Mellivora capensis

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
20–30
Feb
20–30
Mar
30–40
Apr
10–20
May
20–30
Jun
20–30
Jul
20–30
Aug
30–40
Sep
30–40
Oct
20–30
Nov
10–20
Dec

🌅 When They're Spotted

Most active at dawn and dusk · across all parks (global)

🌅Crepuscular
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
30–40%
2 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
20–30%
3 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
20–30%
4 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
10–20%
5 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
5–10%
6 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5–10%
7 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
5–10%
8 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
9 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
Insufficient data
10 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Brown Hyaena in Pilanesberg National Park?

About 24% of wildlife watchers report a Brown Hyaena sighting in Pilanesberg National Park, based on 32 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Brown Hyaena in Pilanesberg National Park?

April has the highest sighting rate for Brown Hyaena in Pilanesberg National Park in our monthly data.

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