SPOTTED HYENA
OUR WORK WITH SPOTTED HYENAS
LOCATING DEN SITES AND IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUALS
Hyenas have communal dens, visited regularly by each clan member and are usually the central point of the clans territory. Through tracking, camera trapping and the reported sighting by locals, we can identify potential den sites which we then equip with two cameras traps. Upon confirmation of a den site, the cameras will be permanently installed to identify the number of clan members and collect each individuals ID.
The spot pattern on a spotted hyena is unique to them. These patterns do not change with age, and therefore once identifying an individual, we are able to recognize them at a later stage. The pictures taken from the left and right site of the hyenas are added to the Photo-ID-Catalog.
HOME RANGES
In addition to camera traps at dens, cameras are placed throughout the areas, with the aim to “recapture” individuals. When captured up on our additional camera traps we will be able to begin to determine this specific clan’s home ranges.
Pictures are checked once a week with each camera location marked via GPS and transferred to ArcGIS.
The analysis of ArcGIS data from capture and recapture picture locations will help us to determine their home range. Furthermore, the tracks are recorded in ArcGIS which support the identification of their geographical distribution and home range at the same time.
CONFLICT HOTSPOTS
Along with the distribution data from the hyena clans, we plot the extension of human settlements to determine the overlap. This enables us to narrow down potential conflict hotspots, whereby a hyenas home range overlaps with human inhabited areas. Working with the communities within these hotspots, we apply a so-called Conflict Reporting Network (CRN) where communities and United Tansania enter into a dialog on how to work transparently together, exchange data and the interpretation of findings. Then we are able to put agreed upon preventative measures in place to reduce the incidences of conflict .
