The Spotted Hyena
Zambia’s Hyena Population
Spotted hyenas are widespread across Zambia’s major protected areas, including South Luangwa, Kafue, Lower Zambezi and the Luangwa Valley corridor. Zambia is less frequently discussed in hyena conservation literature than South Africa or Kenya, partly because research infrastructure has historically been more limited. What the field evidence shows is a country with genuinely viable hyena populations in its core protected areas, embedded in landscapes that are wilder and less tourist-dense than the most famous African safari destinations.
Key Areas for Hyenas in Zambia
South Luangwa National Park: One of Africa’s finest wildlife areas. Strong spotted hyena population alongside lions, leopards and wild dogs. Night drives are a key feature of all quality camps here.
Kafue National Park: Africa’s second largest national park at over 22,000 km². Significant predator populations including spotted hyenas across a range of habitats.
Lower Zambezi National Park: The Zambezi River corridor provides a productive dry-season hunting ground. Combined canoe and game drive safaris give unusual access to predator behaviour near water.
Luangwa Valley corridor: The broader valley system, including GMAs adjacent to South Luangwa, supports hyena populations that face higher levels of human pressure than those inside the park.
Conservation Challenges in Zambia
Bushmeat poaching: Wire snares set for ungulates catch hyenas; commercial poaching affects the prey base hyenas depend on
Human–wildlife conflict: Retaliatory killing occurs on park boundaries and is difficult to monitor effectively
Under-resourced ranger forces: Some areas suffer from insufficient ranger numbers, vehicles and equipment, limiting rapid response capacity
Prey depletion: Where poaching pressure is high, prey base reduction increases the likelihood of livestock predation and resulting conflict
Conservation Work in Zambia
The Zambia Carnivore Programme (ZCP) conducts research and monitoring of large carnivores across Zambia’s protected areas, including spotted hyenas. Population estimates, movement data, and conflict mapping inform management decisions for park authorities and private concession operators.
The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) is active across multiple Zambian landscapes, working on community-based conservation, human–wildlife conflict mitigation and land-use planning. Community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) programmes in several GMAs give communities a direct stake in wildlife conservation through tourism revenue sharing.
