Call to track city hyenas

The young hyena that got lost in Randburg last week has been named Juno by the Johannesburg Zoo vet who darted her.

Following the publicity Juno generated, the National SPCA aims to raise money for radio collars that will track hyenas living on the city's edge.

Zoologist Dr Brian Kuhn, from the Urban Hyena Research Project, wants to fit a collar to at least one hyena, so scientists can learn more about their movements and territory.

SPCA Wildlife Unit inspector Wendy Willson said: "We could possibly intercept the animals before they wander into dangerous territory or become a nuisance in the urban areas."

Juno will be released when her paws, damaged by walking on tar, have healed and she will, it is hoped, be reunited with her clan.

As Juno is still growing, researchers do not want to collar her.

Endangered Wildlife Trust Kelly Marnewick Carnivore Conservation Programme manager said the main threats to the survival of brown hyenas are the traditional medicine trade, poisoning and being killed due to their status as "problem animals".