Tag Archives: Spotted hyena

Spending time with Skukuza’s Hyenas

Even if Spotted Hyenas were not the most numerous large predator around Skukuza Rest Camp in the Kruger National Park – and I think they are – they’re definitely the most frequently encountered, a fact borne out yet again by the many rendezvous we had with these fascinating creatures during our visit to the Skukuza-area earlier in January.

Spotted Hyena near Leeupan, north-east of Skukuza Rest Camp

On a night drive from camp, following the course of the Sabie River, we crossed paths with several clans all searching for food.

We paid frequent visits to a Hyena den just a few kilometres south of the camp, where the many curious cubs kept us well entertained. These encounters were definitely in the “cute and cuddly” category.

Adult female Spotted Hyena at their den near Skukuza

Spotted Hyena cub at their den near Skukuza

Spotted Hyena cub at their den near Skukuza (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena cubs at their den near Skukuza (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena cub at their den near Skukuza (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena cub at their den near Skukuza

Spotted Hyena cubs at their den near Skukuza

Spotted Hyena cubs licking at a puddle of aircon water in the road at their den near Skukuza (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena cub at their den near Skukuza (photo by Joubert)

We were awed by their tenacity when we spent time with this group of four Hyenas who were following the hunting wild dogs we shared with you a few days ago. While they couldn’t keep up with the pace of the painted wolves they were not put off, hoping that if they stayed on the spoor of the dogs they would catch up with them and could steal their meal. As it turned out the kill was quickly consumed by the wild dogs and the hyenas were left without a morsel by the time they arrived, but I am sure this will not prevent them trying again!

Spotted Hyena following a pack of wild dogs on the hunt

Spotted Hyenas following a pack of wild dogs on the hunt (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena following a pack of wild dogs on the hunt (photo by Joubert)

Definitely the scariest run-in with a Spotted Hyena during this latest trip was with an individual who popped into the Tshokwane Picnic Spot while we were having breakfast. Luckily he didn’t stay long and moved off again without using those powerful jaws on any of the humans.

Spotted Hyena inspecting Tshokwane Picnic Spot in the Kruger National Park (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena inspecting Tshokwane Picnic Spot in the Kruger National Park

We’d love for you to join DeWetsWild on a guided tour of the Kruger National Park or to help you arrange a self-guided visit. Don’t hesitate to reach out!

Satara Summer 2021 – Fascinated with Spotted Hyenas

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Spotted Hyenas are probably the most numerous large predator in the Kruger National Park, with a population estimated at around 7,000. While many people still hold on to incorrect beliefs that the Spotted Hyena is a cowardly scavenger, amongst other insults, we know better and are always excited when we get a chance to spend time with these fascinating carnivores.

Spotted Hyenas

Spotted Hyena (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena with a bitten ear

Spotted Hyena

Spotted Hyena (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena

For the entire duration of our December 2021 visit to the Satara area of the Kruger National Park a large pack of Hyenas maintained a den site about 3km to the north of the camp, along the H1-4 road. We regularly encountered these Hyenas, of all sexes and ages, while setting out or returning to camp and seldom left them without more photographs to add to the album.

Spotted Hyena at a den just north of Satara (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena at a den just north of Satara

Spotted Hyenas at a den just north of Satara (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena at a den just north of Satara

Spotted Hyena at a den just north of Satara (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena

This little family was a different story however. Along the Ngotso stream one very hot day early into our visit we came across a Spotted Hyena female with the two most lovable cubs imaginable. Though we looked for them in the same vicinity on several occasions later on we weren’t lucky to see them again.

Spotted Hyena mother and cub

Spotted Hyena cub

Spotted Hyena cub (photo by Joubert)

Just south of Tshokwane, where the main road to Lower Sabie turns off, as we were heading home on the 2nd of January, we noticed a big female Hyena standing next to a culvert. In Kruger Spotted Hyenas make good use of these man-made tunnels as dens. Sure enough, as we brought our vehicle to a halt first one, then a second and then a third little head popped out from underneath the road to inspect the strange creature humming on top of their home.

Spotted Hyena cub

Spotted Hyena cubs

Spotted Hyena cub

Spotted Hyena female

Spotted Hyena cub (photo by Joubert)

So often when we encounter Spotted Hyenas they are on the move with a single-minded sense of purpose. This very big individual came running from the front at great speed along the road to Tshokwane one morning, only to disappear into the bush before we could even turn the car around.

Spotted Hyena going for a jog

Spotted Hyena out for its morning jog

While they’re not always doing it on the trot, it happens very often that we find a Hyena, like this one near Balule, striding along the road to pass us as if it didn’t even notice us.

Spotted Hyena walking along the road near Balule (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena walking along the road near Balule

Spotted Hyena walking along the road near Balule (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena walking along the road near Balule

Spotted Hyenas are great opportunists. We found this one hanging around a herd of impalas that included lots of newborn lambs along the S126 Sweni Road.

Spotted Hyena on the lookout for newborn Impalas

At the Vutomi Dam, west of Tshokwane, we saw two Spotted Hyenas enjoying a refreshing dip in a muddy pool on a hot day before they headed off into the veld.

Spotted Hyenas bathing at Vutomi

Spotted Hyenas bathing at Vutomi (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyenas bathing at Vutomi

Spotted Hyenas bathing at Vutomi (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena taking a quick drink from Vutomi Dam…

…before they headed back into the bush

One morning, near the turnoff to Olifants Rest Camp, we found a very nervous Spotted Hyena with the tip of its nose hanging by a thread.

Soon after we found four more Hyenas, which were very excited, patrolling up and down the road as if they were looking for something. Perhaps they were looking for the Hyena with the hurt nose. They ran along the road and then stopped at some invisible scent marks, growling and grunting loudly and scent marking in the same spot before running off to the next one. This was fascinating behaviour we have never observed before, and whoever they were looking for would have done well to stay out of this posse’s way!

Spotted Hyena (photo by Joubert)

Excited Spotted Hyenas patrolling along the Olifants River

Excited Spotted Hyenas patrolling along the Olifants River (photo by Joubert)

Excited Spotted Hyenas patrolling along the Olifants River

Excited Spotted Hyenas patrolling along the Olifants River (photo by Joubert)

Excited Spotted Hyenas patrolling along the Olifants River

When we passed the same way several hours later the matriarch of the group was still patrolling up and down the same stretch of road. How is that for dogged perseverance!?

Satara Summer 2021 – African Wild Dogs

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We were still very fresh into our latest visit to the Satara area of the Kruger National Park when, on the 14th December, we came across a pack of seven African Wild Dogs, or Painted Wolves, near the Nsemani Dam on the H7 road leading to Orpen. To find such rare animals so early into our Kruger visit really was a good omen of things to come, and we were very excited even with the dogs resting so sedately in the heat of the late afternoon.

Painted Wolves, or African Wild Dogs, on the road between Orpen and Satara

In the early morning of the 30th December we had just finished breakfast at the Muzandzeni Picnic Spot when the attendant alerted us to a pack of Wild Dogs rapidly approaching. We were just in time to see 10 of them run past the picnic spot and into the marshy area covered by long grass next to it. They paused a while on a little rise and then continued running, clearly seriously on the hunt. We decided to try and find them again on one of the roads leading from Muzandzeni.

Wild Dogs passing Muzandzeni (photo by Joubert)

Wild Dogs passing Muzandzeni

As we left Muzandzeni we found three Spotted Hyenas following behind the Wild Dogs, no doubt hoping to score an easy meal.

One of the Spotted Hyenas on the trail of the Wild Dogs

First we tried turning south on the S36, but quickly realised that it leads away from the direction we last saw the dogs heading into, so we turned around. The S126 Sweni River Road might be the better option. Just as we started thinking following the S126 might be a lost cause too, we saw a hyena loping along. And then, just around the next corner, two dogs in the road – we found them again! Pretty soon all ten dogs were running in the road ahead of us, with the hyenas following some distance behind and just visible in the rear view mirrors every now and then. We followed the dogs for almost 10 kilometers, over the course of an hour-and-a-half, while they hunted. Every now and then they’d pause, take a scent trail leading into the long grass to disappear from view, only to return to the road a minute or two later. The dogs, with us in tow, decided against taking on a big warthog boar and then actually passed an impala ram standing in the long grass, not any the wiser how close he was to death. Just short of the Welverdiend waterhole however the dogs must have picked up a very promising lead as they left the road a final time, ears pulled back and bodies kept low to the ground. We waited around for several minutes, then searched up and down the road for a few kilometers either side of where we last saw them, but they didn’t re-appear. This probably means that they were successful at their kill.

Wild Dogs hunting along the S126, 30 December 2021

Wild Dogs hunting along the S126, 30 December 2021 (photo by Joubert)

Wild Dogs hunting along the S126, 30 December 2021

Wild Dogs hunting along the S126, 30 December 2021 (photo by Joubert)

Wild Dogs hunting along the S126, 30 December 2021

Wild Dogs hunting along the S126, 30 December 2021 (photo by Joubert)

Wild Dogs hunting along the S126, 30 December 2021

Wild Dogs hunting along the S126, 30 December 2021 (photo by Joubert)

Wild Dogs hunting along the S126, 30 December 2021

Wild Dogs hunting along the S126, 30 December 2021 (photo by Joubert)

Wild Dogs hunting along the S126, 30 December 2021

Wild Dogs hunting along the S126, 30 December 2021 (photo by Joubert)

Wild Dogs hunting along the S126, 30 December 2021

Our plan for the morning of 31st December was a slow drive to a picnic breakfast at N’wanetsi. Our meal plans were slightly delayed however when we found another pack of Wild Dogs – nine animals – not 200m from the picnic spot! The dogs had a fresh kill and most were still feeding deep in a bush and not very clear to the eye. We stayed a few minutes and then moved to the picnic spot for a much needed comfort break and a quick bite to eat. When we returned to the dogs the whole pack had moved into the open and treated us to wonderful views.

Wild Dogs at N’wanetsi

Wild Dogs at N’wanetsi (photo by Joubert)

Wild Dogs at N’wanetsi

The African Wild Dog is endangered, not only in South Africa but across the whole continent, where its range has been drastically diminished. South Africa is home to approximately 500 of these beautiful animals, about half of which live in Kruger National Park and adjacent reserves. For us to have seen three different packs during our 3 week visit to the Park was extremely lucky! The Endangered Wildlife Trust is again calling on citizen scientists to submit photos of Wild Dogs (and Cheetahs) taken during visits to the Kruger Park to their 7th Wild Dog Census, and Joubert and I will definitely be making our contributions.

Summertide Diary: Hyenas versus Elephant

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Yesterday we promised you more photos of the fascinating interaction between the Spotted Hyenas and Elephant at Hapoor Dam in Addo Elephant National Park, and here they are.

When we arrived on the scene, the hyenas were quite far from the road and only barely visible without binoculars (or a 300mm camera lens). We could see they were eating, but couldn’t figure out what. Then one adult hyena picked up a sizable chunk of meat and started walking towards us, followed closely by a sub-adult with a piece of leg in its mouth. As they came closer we could identify the prey item as a buffalo calf, or what was left of it anyway. Whether it was caught by the hyenas themselves or killed by lions and then stolen we’ll never know. In any event, the hyenas promptly deposited their meat in a drinking trough on the opposite side of the road to where the actual Hapoor Dam is. Caching food in this fashion is quite well-known hyena behaviour.

The hyenas were still tussling in the water, apparently not knowing whether they want to save their meal for later or gobble it all up now, when a big elephant bull appeared out of the spekboom-thicket some distance away. And he was obviously on a mission. In no time the elephant closed the distance to the hyenas, and while the courage of the younger of the two predators gave in much quicker than that of his older pack mate both had to vacate their bath-cum-larder before the agitated bull got too close. For his part the elephant then gave the fouled water one indignant sniff before moving across the road to drink from Hapoor Dam proper.

With the elephant gone, the hyenas quickly moved back to their pantry, retrieved their meat and continued their meal. The day was heating up though and the Pied Crows were starting to get really annoying, and so they put their meat away a final time to be enjoyed later.

Spotted Hyenas feeding far into the veld

Bringing his meat closer

Spotted Hyena and Buffalo prey

The water is a perfect hiding place

Youngster lending a hoof

Youngster lending a hoof (photo by Joubert)

Time to fight about who gets the lion’s share (photo by Joubert)

Time to fight about who gets the lion’s share

Time to fight about who gets the lion’s share (photo by Joubert)

Time to fight about who gets the lion’s share

Time to fight about who gets the lion’s share (photo by Joubert)

Enter elephant stage left

Elephant locked onto target!

Elephant locked onto target! (photo by Joubert)

Elephant locked onto target!

Elephant locked onto target!(photo by Joubert)

Elephant locked onto target!

Darn, just missed! (photo by Joubert)

Time to resume the feast

Time to resume the feast (photo by Joubert)

Time to resume the feast

But now the crows want to join in (photo by Joubert)

But now the crows want to join in

And so its time to put everything away till later

The bloody fight that never was

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At the end of our Satara Summer, on the way to the Kruger National Park’s Orpen Gate from where we were to head back home to Pretoria, we were lucky to see a lone Cheetah resting in the shade of a small thorn tree. Having stopped for a last photo or two, it was Marilize who noticed a Spotted Hyena heading straight towards the Cheetah. Knowing just how hateful the relationship between Africa’s large predators are, we were sure we were probably going to witness a tremendous fight when the two meat-eaters meet, especially when the Cheetah noticed the Hyena, snarled at it viciously, and got up to defend its turf. But turns out this Hyena was not a fighter; he walked straight past the Cheetah as if it wasn’t even there, and not paying the cheetah’s tantrum any attention whatsoever. It was rather amusing seeing the Cheetah standing by himself, looking decidedly confused, as the Hyena disappeared from view…

Our first view of the relaxed Cheetah

Here comes the Hyena

The Cheetah has also noticed the Hyena now

and he gets up, ready to make a stand

Hyena and cheetah interaction at Orpen

Wait! What?

The Hyena simply walks straight past and away

Leaving the Cheetah rather confused at what just happened

Hyena family on the move

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One of the most compelling reasons when visiting the Kruger National Park (or any wildlife area really) to get up early and be one of the first vehicles through the gate in the early morning is that you exponentially improve your chances of having truly amazing wildlife encounters. We did just that while staying at Crocodile Bridge in September, and were rewarded with this incredible sighting of a clan of Spotted Hyenas on the move and reveling in the puddles of water on the road following a spring shower the night before.

Spotted Hyena clan on the move (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyenas on the move

Spotted Hyena matriarch

Spotted Hyenas licking rainwater from the road

Spotted Hyenas licking rainwater from the road (photo by Joubert)

No denying that Hyena cubs are cute!

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During my visit in May 2019, along the main road between Pretoriuskop and Skukuza camps in the Kruger National Park, I was lucky to come across two different spotted hyena clans with youngsters – one group had three babies and the other no less than eight bouncing bundles of joy! And they were bouncing, and biting and bullying, to their hearts content, causing me great amusement but obviously not impressing their mothers very much with their antics…

Spotted Hyena youngster bullying a sibling

Rambunctious Spotted Hyena cubs

Spotted Hyena trying to discipline one of her cubs

Running around your aunt while your smaller cousins are trying to suckle is great fun apparently in Spotted Hyena families

Spotted Hyena cubs and mother

Female Spotted Hyena

After sending the cubs back into their den, Mom Spotted Hyena can finally take a closer look at potential prey some distance away.

Rambunctious Spotted Hyena cubs

Spotted Hyena mothers apparently make great jungle gyms!

Rambunctious Spotted Hyena cubs

One of the Spotted Hyena moms trying to restore peace. The other has seemingly given up!

Rambunctious Spotted Hyena cubs

Alert Spotted Hyena youngster

Tired Spotted Hyena cubs – aren’t they sweet!?

And just to remind you that spotted hyenas are actually very efficient hunters, I came across this fellow devouring a freshly killed impala very close to Lower Sabie:

Things that go “bump” in the night…

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Mpila Camp in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park is not fenced, and any animals, dangerous kinds included, can and do roam between the accommodation units at night (and often during the day too!). I have a basic little camera-trap that I sometimes set up overnight when we visit South Africa’s wild places to see what happens when we’re soundly sleeping, and here’s a few images it captured of Spotted Hyenas roaming outside our cottage at Mpila when we visited in December 2018.

Spotted Hyenas roaming outside Mpila Cottage 16 in December 2018

Even hyenas need a loving family

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These tender moments shared by a Spotted Hyena female and her two small cubs, seen on a recent weekend visit to the Mopani region of the Kruger National Park, is another one of the reasons why we keep going back to the Park as often as we can. It also made the four dads in the car really miss their own “cubs” back home…

Spotted Hyena female and two young cubs

Spotted hyena female and two young cubs

Spotted Hyena female and two young cubs

Spotted Hyena

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Crocuta crocuta

Spotted Hyenas roaming outside Mpila Cottage 16 in December 2018

Often depicted as cowardly villains and skulking scavengers, the truth is that the Spotted Hyena is a very efficient predator that mostly catches its own prey and dominates all other African predators with the exception of lions. Standing up to 90cm high and weighing up to 85kg, the females are considerably stronger built than the males and have very male-like genitalia, leading to a common misconception that spotted hyenas are hermaphrodites.

Lazy hyena cub

Hyena Queen (H6, Kruger National Park)

Spotted hyena

Spotted hyena close-up

Spotted hyena close up

Spotted Hyena

Spotted Hyena on the run

Spotted Hyena

Spotted Hyena (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena cub (photo by Joubert)

Hyena and cheetah interaction at Orpen

Hyena looking menacing as it emerges from the dark

Spotted Hyena

Hyena seen before sunrise

Hyena with a chunk of leg

Spotted Hyena

The way Hyenas get attention!

Spotted Hyena

Hyena youngster

Spotted Hyena

Young hyena

Spotted Hyena

Spotted Hyena on the run

Spotted Hyena outside the fence at Tamboti

Spotted Hyenas have adapted to every habitat on the African continent except the tropical forests, though they prefer savannas, grasslands, woodlands and semi-deserts. They’re not dependant on drinking water but will drink when it is available and love cooling off in natural pools on hot days. Spotted Hyenas easily prey on anything from insects to giraffes and buffaloes, their diet normally reflecting which animals are most common in their area, but will also opportunistically scavenge from the kills of other carnivores (less than a third of their diet) and around rubbish dumps and human settlements. Excess food is often stored under water for later consumption. In many protected areas Spotted Hyenas have learnt that tourist camps are a reliable source of discarded food; a dangerous situation that often leads to injuries to people with lethal consequences for the hyenas.

Spotted hyena staking out the Black Umfolozi

Spotted hyenas with porcupine kill

The story of the (over) ambitious hyena

Spotted hyena sniffing the breeze

Spot the spotted hyena!

Spotted hyena

Cooling down on a hot day

Spotted Hyenas chasing after prey

Spotted Hyena

Spotted Hyena seen at night right from Shingwedzi’s fence

Spotted Hyena scavenging from a buffalo carcass in the Mphongolo River

Time to fight about who gets the lion’s share

Spotted Hyena and Buffalo prey

Spotted Hyena

Spotted Hyena sneaking up on a bushbuck (photo by Niel de Wet)

Spotted Hyena (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyenas live in clans numbering from 3 to 80 (the size and stability of which depends on prey availability) in which a strict, female dominated, hierarchy exists. The most dominant female passes her status to her female young, and all females are dominant over all males in the clan. Males mostly join clans from other groups from which they were evicted, and it can take weeks and even months for them to be accepted into a new family. Each clan has a territory covering between 40 and 1800km² (dependent again on prey availability), that is demarcated with scent glands and communal dung middens and will be fiercely defended against interlopers. Within the territory a number of dens are established in dense vegetation, caves, between boulders or in holes in the ground (they’ll also often use human-made culverts under roads for this purpose) and used on a rotational basis. Spotted Hyenas are most active from dusk to dawn, usually hunting alone or in small parties except when going after big game, when the whole pack will join forces. When hunting they can reach speeds of up to 65km/h, but they can sustain a pace of 50km/h over a distance of up to 5km as they tire out their intended prey. They’re among the most vocal of mammals, and their well known laughing, howling and cackling is synonymous with the African night.

Spotted hyena waiting for the lions to have their fill

Spotted Hyena on Satara Night Drive

Spotted hyena along the road

Spotted Hyena on Satara Night Drive

Hyena on the S29 to Mlondozii

Spotted hyena track

Hyenas come into camp every night. This one we saw at Masinda Lodge, a short distance from Mpila, one morning

Hyenas are commonly encountered at Skukuza

Hyenas, Ngotso (Kruger Park)

Hyenas on the S65 (Kruger Park)

Hyenas’ early morning bath

Spotted hyena on the way to Malelane Gate

Spotted hyena

Spotted hyena near Afsaal

Spotted Hyena Matriarch

Spotted Hyena in the spotlight

Spotted Hyena on the run

Spotted Hyena attending a barbeque in Mpila Camp

Leader of the clan

Lazing about

Spotted Hyena on the run

Spotted Hyena

Spotted Hyena outside our cabin in the dark of night

Spotted Hyena (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena

Scruffy-looking Spotted Hyena

Spotted Hyena

Spotted Hyena (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena

Spotted Hyena (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena

Spotted Hyena cub near Cape Vidal

Spotted Hyena

Females usually give birth to two cubs (though up to 4 have been recorded) at anytime of year. Cubs are kept hidden from the rest of the clan for the first two weeks of their life. More than one female in the clan may be raising cubs at the same time, but they will not take care of one another’s young. Cubs are often extremely aggressive to one another, especially of the same sex, and it is not unusual for some of the litter to die as a result of the constant fighting. The cubs are dark brown to black at birth, attaining adult colouration from the age of 2 to 3 months. Lions consider Spotted Hyenas their mortal enemies and will kill them at any opportunity, and outbreaks of rabies can decimate entire clans. Spotted Hyenas can live to the age of about 25 in the wild, and up to 40 years in captivity.

This Spotted Hyena mother couldn’t tolerate her naughty child playing in the road one second longer!

Spotted hyena cub

Hyenas at their den just outside Letaba, Kruger Park

Hyenas, Ngotso (Kruger Park)

Hyenas patrol the fence at night, hoping for (illegal) handouts from campers

Two very coy young hyenas

Spotted hyena mother

Spotted Hyena youngster

Spotted Hyena cubs are black at birth

Spotted Hyena youngster

Spotted Hyenas at their den

Spotted Hyena cousins

Spotted hyena cub and mother

Spotted hyena suckling cub

Spotted hyena cubs

Spotted hyena cub

Spotted Hyena cubs with a bone

Spotted Hyena cub and mother

Spotted Hyena cub

Spotted hyena cub

Spotted Hyena cub

Spotted hyena female and two young cubs

Spotted Hyena family (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena family

Spotted Hyena on the move (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena profile

Spotted Hyena

Young Spotted Hyena

Fluffy Spotted Hyena youngster (photo by Joubert)

Heavily pregnant Spotted Hyena

Spotted Hyena family (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena female showing off her tools (photo by Joubert)

Cute Spotted Hyena youngster (photo by Joubert)

Baby Spotted Hyena

Spotted Hyena

With a total population estimated between 27,000 and 47,000, the spotted hyena is one of the most numerous large carnivores on the African continent, and considered of least conservation concern by the IUCN. However, their populations are decreasing, especially outside large conservation areas, due to human pressures such as illegal hunting, poisoning and loss of habitat and prey. South Africa’s biggest population can be found in the Kruger National Park, estimated at up to 3,900 animals, and they are also a regular sighting in Addo Elephant National Park, Mapungubwe National Park, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.