brown hyena

brown hyena (plural brown hyenas)

1. A comparatively rare species of hyena, Hyaena brunnea, endemic to desert and semi-desert areas and open woodland savannahs of southern Africa.
   • 1981, C. K. Brain, The Hunters Or the Hunted?: An Introduction to African Cave Taphonomy‎, page 77:

     It is now well established that brown hyenas, at least when rearing cubs, deliberately hunt other carnivores (up to the size of cheetahs, on the Kruger Park evidence) and take them to the breeding dens as food for the cubs.

   • 1984, Mark Owens, Delia Owens, Cry of the Kalahari, page 324,

     Because they are scavengers in a semiarid ecosystem where carrion is often limited, brown hyenas naturally occur in small numbers.

   • 2014, Chris McIntyre, Botswana Safari Guide: Okavango Delta, Chobe, Northern Kalahari, Bradt Travel Guides, 4th Edition, page 428,

     The brown hyena has evolved to live in desert systems throughout southern Africa, where it occurs at low densities.