Diet of striped hyaena in northern Kenya

A study of striped hyaena (Hyaena hyaena (Linnaeus, 1758)) in Lothagam, nor thern Kenya was conducted to understand the interactions of H. hyaena with the local Turkana people and their livestock. Data were collected from skel etal parts, fresh seats, ecological survey, and from interviews at differen t homesteads. Analysis of skeletal remains was broadly divided into three c ategories: species, skeletal part and bone damage. Insects, birds, fish, cr ocodile, seeds, leaves and fifteen species of mammalian prey were identifie d. The high proportion of livestock, dog and human remains in the bone accu mulations indicate a significant dependence on the lifestyles of the local Turkana people. The study provides evidence to suggest: that striped hyaena s predate on small livestock and demonstrate an opportunistic behaviour, wh ich enables them to survive as the largest carnivore in this marginal envir onment. A greater abundance of bones are associated with striped hyaena den s than with those of the spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta (Erxleben, 1777)). Bone modification by the striped hyaena differs from spotted hyaena bone m odification. Bone breakage patterns can be attributed to the relative speci fic gravity, degree of epiphyseal closure and nutritive fat content of bone s.