Jo Garner

Tuesday, July 16, 2002

Conservation of Spotted Hyaena in Swaziland.

This is designed as a long-term, sustainable and locally managed project to establish the status of spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) in Swaziland. The species is locally vulnerable following habitat change and human persecution. The results of the project will form the basis for future population management, including possible introduction of individuals from other clans.

The project will work with a number of groups to provide demographic data on the hyaena population, train local workers, educate surrounding communities and publicise the project. This will raise awareness, provide skills locally and ultimately help to safeguard the viability of spotted hyaena in Swaziland.

Visit the project web site at www.freewebz.com/swaziland.

News & Updates

6 weeks in to the project and we have made a positive start.The first couple of weeks were spent setting up camp, planning our fieldwork and discussing the project with local parties, namely staff of the reserves upon which the hyaena are found. Primary den on Mlawula Nature Reserve.Not currently active but signs of much past activity. We are working on 3 neighbouring reserves: Mlawula Nature Reserve (where we are based), Mbuluzi Nature Reserve and Hlane Royal Game Reserve, as there is a good history of spotted hyaena sightings in each. As no other sightings have been made of hyaena anywhere else in Swaziland over the last several years, it is widely believed that the individuals in this area make up the only spotted hyaena population in the country. The male hyena relocated from Mkhaya to Hlane. Taken just before he 'came to' from the anaesthetic. This is with one exception however - a single animal on Mkhaya Nature Reserve, 50km to the south, which was first sighted approximately 6 months ago and has been causing problems on local farmland.This individual, along with a second (which has just this week been relocated back to the reserves), is believed to have traveled down from Hlane and will also hopefully be relocated back here within the next few weeks. Should this not happen, local landowners are likely to kill the hyaena, even though they are protected under Swazi law as 'Royal Game' and the penalties would be severe.Fortunately, the area we are working in appears to be large enough to create a buffer zone between the hyaena and farmland and thus there have been no known complaints from local farmers for several years.