Spotted Hyena recorded in the West Lunga National Park for the first time in 20 years

In July 2026, a camera trap in the southwest of the West Lunga National Park recorded photographs of an adult spotted hyena. This is the first official record of a large predator in the park since the inception of the West Lunga Support Programme in 2014. This sighting follows multiple reports of hyena in communities surrounding the park. Since then, hyena tracks and spoor were found in the park in September along with a 2nd image in the north of the park, possibly of a different hyena.  These signs will be monitored closely by park staff over the coming months.

This provides a strong signal that spotted hyenas may be re-establishing a permanent population in the West Lunga National Park. It is another encouraging sign of ecosystem recovery in a landscape that has historically suffered heavily from uncontrolled fires and poaching. 

This sighting was made possible through a long-running wildlife monitoring programme implemented by the West Lunga Conservation Project in partnership the Department of National Parks and Wildlife and the Zambian Carnivore Programme. By combining long-term investment in scientific monitoring with effective landscape management practices and community collaboration, partnerships like this are crucial for delivering positive conservation impacts in the West Lunga Ecosystem.