Stable social structure of spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) during the dry and wet season in Central Tuli, Botswana
Data files
Jun 18, 2025 version files 605.49 KB
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README.md
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Spotted_Hyena_Botswana_Dryad.zip
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Abstract
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.
Dataset Overview
This dataset accompanies the manuscript titled:
"Stable social structure of spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) during the dry and wet season in Central Tuli, Botswana"
Authors: Atze van der Goot, Sander Vissia, Frank van Langevelde, Richard Mazebedi
The dataset contains observational, spatial, and network-derived data used to examine seasonal changes in the social networks and territorial boundaries of spotted hyenas in Central Tuli, Botswana.
Study Details
Species: Crocuta crocuta (Spotted Hyena)
Study area: Central Tuli Block, Botswana
Study period: April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2022
Methods:
- Individual hyenas were identified by unique spot patterns from camera trap imagery.
- Associations were defined by co-occurrence within a 15-minute interval at the same camera trap.
- Community structure was identified using the Louvain clustering algorithm.
- Clan territories were inferred using convex hulls in QGIS based on observed locations.
Data Files and Variable Definitions
- raw_camera_trap_data.csv
- Camera: Integer ID of the camera trap (1–37)
- Date: Date of observation (MM/DD/YYYY)
- Time: Time of observation (HH:MM:SS, 24h format)
- Hyena ID: Unique individual ID (e.g. "2", "20", "new2")
- Season: "Wet" or "Dry", based on the observation month
- Associating: "Yes" if the individual was seen with others within 15 minutes; "No" otherwise
- adjacency_matrix_wet.xlsx / adjacency_matrix_dry.xlsx
- Square matrix with hyena IDs in rows and columns
- Cell values: Number of co-occurrences between individuals (or self for solo sightings)
- hyena_communities_wet.csv / hyena_communities_dry.csv
- Camera: Camera ID
- Date: Date of detection
- Time: Time of detection
- Hyena ID: Individual ID
- Community: Cluster (clan) assignment from Louvain community detection.
Note: Empty cells in this column indicate individuals who could not be assigned to a community, either due to isolation in the network or insufficient interaction data for that season.
- camera_trap_locations.xlsx
- Camera: Camera ID
- Latitude: Decimal degrees (WGS 84)
- Longitude: Decimal degrees (WGS 84)
- QGIS_project.qgz
- QGIS project displaying territories and locations of clans
- dry_season_clan_locations.geojson
- Clan presence data (dry season) per camera location
- clan_territories.gpkg
- Convex hull polygons representing clan territories (wet and dry seasons)
Software & Code Information
R version: 4.3.1
R packages used:
- igraph (1.5.1): network construction and analysis
- readxl (1.4.3): read Excel files
- dplyr (1.1.4), tidyr (1.3.1): data wrangling
- ggplot2 (3.4.4): visualization
- reshape2 (1.4.4): data transformation
- DT (0.32): interactive table display
Included scripts:
- dry_season.R: Constructs and visualizes the dry season social network
- wet_season.R: Constructs and visualizes the wet season social network
- Centrality_clans_ratio.R: Computes proportional strength centrality and compares seasonal patterns
Scripts calculate centrality, generate community membership, and perform Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.
Species Conservation Consideration
The species observed in this dataset, Crocuta crocuta (spotted hyena), is listed as 'Least Concern' on the IUCN Red List (as of the 2016 assessment). Based on field observations and expert consultation in the Central Tuli region of Botswana during the study period (April 2021 – March 2022), there is no indication of population decline or elevated threat levels that would suggest a change in conservation status.
The species remains relatively common in this region, and there is no evidence that publishing precise geographic coordinates would pose a conservation risk. We are confident that sharing location data in this context will not negatively impact the species.
Licensing and Citation
License: CC0 1.0 Universal (Public Domain Dedication)
Citation:
van der Goot, A., Vissia, S., van Langevelde, F., & Mazebedi, R. (2025). Stable social structure of spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) during the dry and wet season in Central Tuli, Botswana. Dryad Digital Repository. DOI:10.5061/dryad.9zw3r22sv
Contact
For questions about the data, contact: Atze van der Goot