Honors Theses and Capstones

Date Completed

Spring 2026

Abstract

The Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta) is a prevalent predator across Africa, recognized for their noticeable gait and powerful jaws which enable them to maul and scavenge on prey. Due to human population growth and encroachment onto wildlife territory, the overlap between human settlements and hyena den sites has become a growing concern, particularly regarding livestock predation. Livestock is intrinsic to livelihoods across Africa, with most individuals deriving their livelihoods from pastoralism. This paper provides an evaluation of den proximities to communities, hyena diet preference, human-hyena conflict/attitudes, and mitigation strategies used to protect hyenas, livestock, and the people. Results stem from community surveys (n=170), key informant interviews (n=7), and sight-based surveys on den sites (n=11), all conducted through Kobo Collect. Hyenas were found to have a home range of 957.329 , with each settlement falling within a 50 km range of one or more den sites. Over the past year, over 1,191 livestock were attacked across the communities (+565 goats, +611 sheep, 15 cattle). Most communities utilized fencing (98.82%) to protect their livestock; however, the most utilized materials of acacia and branches were proven inadequate in protecting livestock. Hyenas tend to settle in areas where three basic needs are met: sufficient food supply, adequate cover, and access to water (Kruuk, 1972), which human settlements and practicing pastoralists are able to supply. Our calculated increase in livestock predation and prey preference, therefore, could be linked to human encroachment as well as wildlife biodiversity declines and pastoralist practices. To limit the accounts of livestock predation and human-hyena conflict in the future, we recommend heavier involvement with NGOs and government outreach programs, such as educational programs and talks surrounding the importance of hyenas in the Amboseli ecosystem. Additionally, the improvement of livestock enclosures has been found to reduce livestock predation by 91.11% (Manoa and Mwaura, 2016), but this fortification will require the assistance of government aid. Overall, involving local communities with mitigation decisions, protecting the people and wildlife diversity at the same time, will help prevent future livestock loss and minimize potential situations of human-wildlife conflict.

First Advisor

Janet Anderson

College or School

COLSA

Department or Program

Zoology

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

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