Library of Cryptozoology

The South African strandwolf, also referred to as the brown hyena, has on various occasions been tentatively reported for East Africa. I once thought to have caught a fleeting glimpse of one, but as no tangible evidence of its occurrence in Kenya has ever come forth, I assume that it must have been an abnormally coloured spotted hyena.

There are three species of hyaena recorded in Kenya, the spotted, the striped and the brown, but only the two former have been seen by me in the park. The brown hyaena has been killed and identified as near as Kabete, so it is quite possible that this species may visit the park too.

In a recent number of 'Nature in East Africa' (No 4. December, 1947, p  19), the brown hyaena ( Hyaena brunnea Thun.) was reported from Kabete near Nairobi. This appeared to be a record of great interest because as long ago as 1899 the species was recorded by Bryden (quoted in Shortridge, 1934, and in Rowland Ward's records of Big Game, 1935) as occurring north of Zambesi as far as Angola in the west of Kilimanjaro in the east, while Trouessart has cited Kordofan (Sudan) and other places in N.E. Africa as its habitat. ... ... the Brown Hyanea ( H. brunnea ) ... is known to exist in the Kedong Valley, and must come up the escarpment to higher country. This is proved by the fact that it ranges to Kabete, where it has been poisoned several times by the Veterinary Dept. The last one I handled in the mortuary a year ago. Two years ago I found one killed on the Railway line near Kabete Railway Station, I have the skulls of them both.