Stable social structure of spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) during the dry and wet season in Central Tuli, Botswana

Group-living animals often exhibit dynamic social structures, with
fission-fusion behavior enabling adaptive responses to environmental
changes. Spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) are large carnivores with
complex social dynamics influenced by intrinsic factors, such as rank and
kinship, and extrinsic factors, such as prey availability. While seasonal
dynamics in spotted hyena fission-fusion behavior have been studied in
East Africa, seasonal dynamics in social structures in Southern Africa,
where prey availability is more stable over time, remains unclear. This
study examines seasonal changes in the social networks and territorial
boundaries of spotted hyenas in Central Tuli, Botswana. Using a year-long
camera trap survey, we identified individuals based on unique spot
patterns and constructed social networks for the wet and dry season. We
identified three distinct hyena clans with stable territories, with minor
shifts in spatial distribution across seasons. Our findings demonstrate
that social structure of hyena clans are stable across seasons in Central
Tuli possibly due to consistently high prey availability, contrasting with
regions experiencing greater seasonal resource fluctuations. These results
underscore the role of prey availability in shaping the social ecology of
spotted hyenas and highlight the utility of SNA in understanding the
temporal and spatial dynamics of group-living animals with fission-fusion
behavior.