Our study at Baker’s Bay began in 2020, shortly after new tourism plans were developed for the Tsau//Khaeb National Park in south-west Namibia. These plans include creating tourism activities at this mainland Cape fur seal breeding colony. This colony is a key food source for both black-backed jackals and brown hyenas living in the area.

To better understand the brown hyena population around Baker’s Bay, we collected data on their demography, behaviour, and activity patterns. We used a combination of camera traps, GPS collars, and full-day behavioural observations at the seal colony every month over several years.

Our results show that this seal colony is an essential feeding site for many hyenas from several different clans, including some animals that live more than 50 km inland.

One of the most important findings is that brown hyenas divide their use of the colony by time of day. Two clans that hold territories directly around the colony are strictly nocturnal and visit only at night. Other hyenas, coming from much further away, visit during the day, probably to avoid conflict with the resident clans. This makes Baker’s Bay a very unique site, and likely one of the best places in the world to observe wild brown hyenas during daylight hours. Even so, brown hyenas are territorial, and this rich food source often leads to fights. Many of the individuals that visit Baker’s Bay regularly carry scars and injuries on their ears, necks, faces, and bodies.

Based on the results of this study, we provided recommendations to guide the development of sustainable tourism at Baker’s Bay.

We plan to continue long-term monitoring of this area, as there are still many unanswered questions, especially about the social dynamics and hunting behaviours of the hyenas that use this colony.