The Brown Hyena Research Project is a non-profit organisation based in Lüderitz in the southern Namib Desert in Namibia. Our research on brown hyenas and the conservation of the ecologically unique brown hyena population along the coastal Namib Desert commenced in 1995 and developed since into a long-term conservation project.

The harsh desert environment seems “deserted” to the subjective observes eye, but by looking closely, inhabits a vast variety of fauna and flora.

The coastal strip is extremely important for several large mammals. This nutrient poor terrestrial ecosystem is supported by the rich marine ecosystem, the Atlantic Ocean. The coastal Namib Desert brown hyenas are ecologically unique, as they scavenge and prey almost exclusively on Cape fur seal pups, which are born at mainland seal colonies, and which are a concentrated, permanent food source.

No other large predators occur in our study areas and therefore the brown hyenas are the apex predators. Read more about the Namib Desert brown hyenas and about our research and conservation project and help us to conserve this species and its unique habitat.