First Confirmed Record of Striped Hyaena (Hyaena hyaena) Den in Nepal

Abstract

Hyaena is one of the twenty seven mammals species protected by National Park and Wildlife conservation ACT-1973 of Nepal. Study of hyaena is lacking in Nepal so less information is available about this species in country. A single den was recorded in Kalapani community forest of Deukhuri Valley in Dang District located at the elevation of 282m above sea level. Signs, camera trap images and video confirm the den of striped hyaena which is first confirmed record of Hyaena den in Nepal. [3][4][5] where water is available within 10 km [6,7]. They appear to avoid open desert and dense thickets and forests [6][7][8] and have only been found below 3,300 m [6,7,9]. Striped hyaena generally favors and consistently revisits larger caves for resting [6,7,10,11]. The striped hyaena is monogamous, with the male helping the female to establish a den, raise young and feed her when cubs are born. Striped hyena cubs are reared in dens and intense digging behaviour in the females announces parturition [6]. Dens may be holes dug by the mother, holes formed and abandoned by other species [9,12] or deep, natural, and sometimes complex, caves [8,11,13]. Striped hyaena is one of the protected mammals by National Park and Wildlife conservation ACT, 1973AD. Feeling the important of this species and relatively less information available striped hyaena was kept as a protected mammal of Nepal. Wildlife act-1973 [2,14-18] are past evidence which shows the presence records of hyaena in different period in Nepal. This all provides only the presence evidence of Hyaena in Nepal. Research on this species is limited so there is little information about this species and no any records of den are available in country before. This is the first confirmed documentation of Hyaena den in Nepal (Figure 1). First Confirmed Record of Striped Hyaena (Hyaena hyaena) Den in NepalInformation about the den and its location was firstly known through the local forest users and forest guard of the Kalapani community forest of Deukhuri Valley in late 2012. Signs around the den were recorded and the confirmation of signs was done in 2013. When the signs were confirmed to be of striped hyaena further confirmation was done through photos and videos obtained from camera trapping. Hyaena is also using this den for breeding. Camera trapping done in the den site for four years (2014 to2017) shows that hyaena are breeding in this den. Two cubs along with adult male and female were recorded in 2015 and recently in July and august 2017 two cubs are seen in den.Camera trap programmed in day and night activation mode was placed at the base of a Dalbergia sissoo and Acacia catechu focusing on the cave entrance (Figure 2). After the assurance through camera trap images and videos, morphometric measurements of the dimensions of the den followed by ocular survey of the surrounding habitat was carried out. The periphery of the den was examined to look for the presence of further entrances and also for the possible carcasses of hyaena prey. We recorded bones and skull of d...

Spatial heterogeneity facilitates coexistence between striped hyaenas and sympatric carnivores

“…We reviewed key literature to understand den‐site selection in carnivores and other mammals, and to identify the best approaches for this study (Bopanna, 2013; Boydston et al., 2006; Chourasia et al., 2020; Davies et al., 2016; Jackson et al., 2014; Khanal et al., 2017; Majumder et al., 2016; Mandal, 2018; Mukherjee et al., 2018; Nikunj et al., 2009; Singh et al., 2010; Singh et al., 2014; Vroom et al., 1980). Furthermore, data on the attributes of potential den sites for striped hyaenas were collected post‐identification of critical microhabitat features.…”

Status, Distribution, and Threats of Striped Hyena (Hyaena hyaena Linnaeus, 1758) in Nepal: A Review

“…Besides, many cases regarding sightings of striped hyena and humanhyena encounters are frequently reported in Nepal. Khanal et al (2017) reported that a den of striped hyena was found in the Kalapani community forest of Deukhuri valley in Dang district in 2012. The den found was located at an altitude of 282 m from sea level and was recorded as the first confirmed den of striped hyena in Nepal and in 2017, striped hyenas residing in that den were confirmed to be breeding which was found out through camera trapping (Khanal et al, 2017).…”

“…Khanal et al (2017) reported that a den of striped hyena was found in the Kalapani community forest of Deukhuri valley in Dang district in 2012. The den found was located at an altitude of 282 m from sea level and was recorded as the first confirmed den of striped hyena in Nepal and in 2017, striped hyenas residing in that den were confirmed to be breeding which was found out through camera trapping (Khanal et al, 2017). Exact population data is lacking because no particular research has been carried out for the population study and only guessed estimated data is available (Jnawali et al, 2011).…”

“…Arid and semiarid environments and human presence shape the distribution of striped hyenas in the southeast lowlands of Nepal (Bhandari et al, 2021). The distribution of striped hyena is normally found in human-dominated areas where water availability is within 10 km (Khanal et al, 2017) though it possesses a high risk of exposure to human as the food and water is easily available nearby human settlement (Singh et al, 2010;Bhandari et al, 2021). Kruuk (1976) and Wagner (2006) found that striped hyenas were habituated to arid and semi-arid environments.…”