Spotted Hyaena Threat Assessment

The aim of my research is to determine the primary causes of death for spotted hyenas and what factors may be threatening their survival across the entire area where they live in sub-Saharan Africa. I will be using an online survey to ask wildlife biologists and naturalists what they think the main causes of death are for spotted hyenas. The spotted hyena provides numerous environmental benefits that protect biodiversity, help maintain healthy prey populations, and minimize the transmission of disease and harmful pathogens to other wildlife and humans alike. While the spotted hyena is not currently in imminent danger of extinction, it is locally threatened and prudent for us to have a thorough understanding of what factors threaten their survival.