KwaZulu-Natal
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg · Giants Castle · Ithala
Self-drive
Stays in KwaZulu-NatalWhere to see
Where to see the Brown Hyena in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Brown Hyena at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Kwandwe Private Game Reserve.
Parahyaena brunnea · Near Threatened
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Brown Hyena
Hosts have recorded the Brown Hyena at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Kwandwe Private Game Reserve.
When to go, park by park
Here all yearEasiest viewing
| Park | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| uKhahlamba-Drakensberg | Here | Here | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here | Here | Here |
| Kgalagadi | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing |
Darker months are each park's own best season, when thinner bush or scarce water makes viewing easier. A sighting is never guaranteed.
Best hours of the day
- After dark and around dawn. The Brown Hyena is mostly active at night, so a night drive gives the best chance.
- Daytime, resting. Usually out of sight in cover, a burrow or water.
Where to base yourself
- KwaZulu-Natal
Northern Cape
Kgalagadi · Mokala
Northern CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Northern Cape
Eastern Cape
Kwandwe · Amakhala
Eastern CapeBig FiveGuided drivesMalaria-freeStays in Eastern Cape
Limpopo
Marakele · Welgevonden
LimpopoBig FiveSelf-driveGuided drivesStays in Limpopo
Ways to look
IUCN Red List
Near Threatened
Species
Parahyaena brunnea
Records
536
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Brown Hyena on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Brown Hyena in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Brown Hyena at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, Marakele National Park, Amakhala Game Reserve and Welgevonden Game Reserve and other reserves. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Brown Hyena in South Africa?
The Brown Hyena is most recorded in Limpopo (29% of records), North West (24% of records), Northern Cape (20% of records), based on 536 iNaturalist observations. 39 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Brown Hyena on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Brown Hyena?
The Brown Hyena is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May; Kwandwe Private Game Reserve: year-round, best Mar-May, Sep-Nov; Marakele National Park: May-Sep, dry season. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the conservation status of the Brown Hyena?
The Brown Hyena (Parahyaena brunnea) is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Brown Hyena?
The brown hyena (Hyaena brunnea, formerly Parahyaena brunnea), also called strandwolf, is a species of hyena found in Namibia, Botswana, western and southern Zimbabwe, southern Mozambique and South Africa. 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.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Brown Hyena
Every stay on the Brown Hyena page lists the species its host has recorded on or near the property. A record is a sighting, never a promise.
See where to stay