Latest sightings of the striped hyena in North Africa: major threats and conservation actions

The striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) is widely distributed across the northern half of Africa, the Middle East, the Arabian Peninsula, and parts of Asia. However, numerous studies indicate that this carnivore is in decline, and it is currently classified as near threatened on the IUCN Red List of threatened species. In North Africa, the Hyaena hyaena barbara subspecies has been extirpated from many areas. This article summarizes data collected from observations of the striped hyena in North Africa between 2004 and 2024. Among the 418 striped hyenas recorded in North Africa between 2004 and 2024, 18.4% (n = 77) were confirmed road kills, 9.6% (n = 40) were mortalities caused by locals, hunters, or poachers (retaliatory killing and poaching), and 4.1% (n = 17) were captured. Human activity (e.g., road collisions, intentional kills, and captures) directly removed 134 hyenas (32.1% of all hyenas recorded). Road traffic collisions were the primary cause of death (77 hyenas), followed by intentional killings by residents, hunters, or poachers (40 hyenas) and captures (17 hyenas). These findings show the detrimental effects that human-caused threats—specifically traffic, persecution, and live capture—have on striped hyena populations across North Africa. This study provides conservation suggestions to protect the remnant populations in various parts of North Africa based on the primary risks to the species.