New conservation project in Hoedspruit to preserve the Spotted Hyena

This is according to the founder of the new, Rafiki Spotted Hyena Conservation Project Numandi Botes.

Botes said the Spotted Hyena was persecuted for various factors outside protected areas, such as being killed by farmers, trophy hunters and poachers.

She said even some local communities believed the Hyena to be part of witchcraft which led to misconceptions and false myths.

Botes said the official date when the project is to be launched will be on October 31 at Jakkals en Wolf Restaurant at 17:00.

‘The restaurant has kindly sponsored us their venue for our monthly meetings’, said Botes.

According to Botes, after raising a Spotted Hyena cub herself named Rafiki, she became interested in the predator.

‘There are so many misconceptions about them, as well as myths linking them to witchcraft.

I want to help by clearing their name and the stigma attached to this beautiful animal’, said Botes.

She said like most predators, the hyenas came into conflict with humans when they preyed on livestock.

‘Farmers often kill them.

As the human population expands, wildlife is losing space where they were previously able to roam freely, ‘added Botes.

Her other concern was the latest trend in trophy hunting.

Although, Botes added, currently the Hyena was doing well on the World Conservation Union list (ICUN), as least concern, she said there were only an estimated 27000 to 47000 left in the wild.

Botes said the project will help to educate the general public and local communities about the Spotted Hyena.

‘We want to achieve the preservation and conservation of the Hyena by educating the general public of their crucial role in nature, ‘she said.

‘The response from the general public was amazing when I asked for help creating this project. Some of our members have a wealth of knowledge about the Spotted Hyena.’

The spotted hyena is the largest of the three hyena species with large well developed shoulders and powerful forequarters that slope down to relatively undeveloped hindquarters.

In comparison to the striped hyena, the spotted hyena has a larger but narrower sagittal crest and for its size it has one of the most powerfully built skulls for a carnivore.

The spotted hyena is regarded as the second largest carnivore in Africa preceded by the Lion.

They have strong jaws and teeth which are well designed for crushing large bones.

For more information on the project, visit the website : https://projectrafiki.wix.com or email Numandi Botes on projectrafiki@gmail.com