NEW: Hyenas key to ecosystem

Tanyaradzwa Rusike

Hyenas are key in regulating herbivore populations, ensuring a natural balance within the food chain, Wildlife Executive Director of Wildlife, Dr Moreangels Mbizah has said.

She was speaking on International Hyena Day, which is commemorated annually on the 26th of April.

International Hyena Day advocates for changing the public’s perspective on hyenas and seeing their importance on Earth.

Dr Mbizah said hyenas have been negatively perceived across various cultures in Zimbabwe.

“In recent years, organisations like ours have made significant efforts to educate communities, highlighting that hyenas are frequently not the initial aggressors and that, like many other wild animals, with the correct livestock management, coexistence is achievable,” she said.

She added that hyenas’ ecological roles are indispensable.

“Hunting hyenas helps regulate herbivore populations, ensuring a natural balance within the food chain.

“Scavenging hyenas perform a critical ecosystem service by consuming and cleaning up carcasses that could otherwise contribute to the spread of disease.

“In doing so, they not only keep habitats clean and healthy but also return vital nutrients to the soil, supporting the delicate web of life that underpins biodiversity,” she said.

“Additionally, by feeding on invertebrates such as beetles and termites, hyenas help control insect populations that could otherwise damage grasslands and diminish plant diversity.”