Brown hyenas are secretive nocturnal scavengers of southern Africa facing habitat fragmentation and persecution. Understanding their welfare needs supports more effective conservation.
Wild brown hyena welfare is most compromised by persecution: they are trapped, poisoned, and shot as presumed livestock killers despite evidence that they rarely kill healthy livestock. These killing methods — particularly poison baiting and leg-hold traps — cause significant suffering. Like all carnivores, brown hyenas caught in snares meant for other species experience painful injuries. Habitat fragmentation forces hyenas onto farmland, increasing conflict. Their secretive nature means welfare impacts are often invisible to researchers and the public. Brown hyenas killed by vehicles on roads — a growing mortality source — may suffer prolonged injuries. Conservation efforts focused on their scavenging role in ecosystems help build tolerance among farming communities.