4th August 2000
After a whirlwind trip around the States, landing back in the bush is always a great feeling. Winter is really upon us now as everything has turned brown and there’s dust in the air. That real dry feeling.
Trying to get over my jet lag with no break before getting onto the Tjololo trail, it was a relief to find him looking so well with the remains of an impala carcass in a tree. This meant more chance for me to catch up on the jet lag.
With Tjololo well fed and resting we left him in the early evening to look for more entertainment. On the ‘golf course’ we found a couple of hyaena lying up. They were soon joined by another 3 and later by another. All looking fairly well fed they spent the next hour or more playing. The whole time a small group of impala stood around not even 20metres away unconcerned with their presence.
As the hyaenas moved off they ambled past the impala who watched them move on by. Then a hyaena turned and chased after the impala. The rest of the clan joined in and in less than 200m they’d caught a young male impala which was devoured in about 15 minutes. Rather slow with so many hyaena around, but then they were all already well fed.
What has always surprised me is the little fear shown by impala towards hyaena. The presence of a leopard at 100m would have them alarm snorting for ages, whereas a group of hyaenas in close proximity is left unnoticed. But both have the ability to kill.
Back with Tjololo after midnight I was able to catch up on some sleep as he rested off his full stomach, and only at dawn did he take to the tree when 5 hyaenas came running in on the scene.
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