Behaviour of an unlikely apex predator: temporal partitioning and hunting strategies of coastal brown hyaenas

Understanding the behavioural ecology of carnivores in unique ecosystems is critical for effective conservation. This study investigated the foraging behaviour of brown hyaenas, Parahyaena brunnea , at Baker's Bay, a coastal ecosystem in southern Namibia, where hyaenas rely predominantly on Cape fur seals, Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus , for food. This study focused on multiple components of this foraging behaviour, including temporal activity patterns, hunting and scavenging strategies and competition with other brown hyaenas and black-backed jackals, Lupulella mesomelas . Data were collected over 3 years through direct observations and camera trapping. Temporal activity varied significantly among individuals, ranging from nocturnal to diurnal. Hyaenas preferred fresh carcasses over older carrion and were observed engaging in surplus killing and caching fresh kills, but they did not return to cached food. Behavioural analyses revealed sex-based differences: males were more likely to hunt during visits, whereas females showed indicators of higher hunting success, including shorter intervals to first kills and higher numbers of pups killed during surplus-killing events. Brown hyaenas frequently encountered black-backed jackals at carcasses, where jackals influenced their feeding strategies. These findings provide important insights into the behavioural adaptations and ecological dynamics of carnivores in resource-concentrated coastal environments. We show that conservation must account for individual and sex-based differences to effectively protect carnivores in unique habitats such as Baker's Bay.