African dawn hyaena feast: Video
Published by Wildcaster 10 months ago Tags: adventure, africa, animal kingdom, blogumentary, conservation, documentary, ecotraining, education, experience, flickr, GLTP, gonarezhou, Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, hippo, hyaenas, malilangwe, marabou stork, mashable, narrowcasting, Open Content Alliance, pamushana, peace parks, photos, podcasting, predators, teach, video, wildcasting, wildlife, wildlife documentary, youtube, zimbabwe.The rains lasted all day coming and going but not really doing much. Enough to frustrate me getting all my equipment wet.
Realising it was pointless trying to follow lions with the drizzle coming on and off we spent the night in camp catching up.
Pre-dawn I was woken by the wonderful sound of hyaenas squabbling down at the dam. (Something tell you I love hyaenas?) I rushed down there to find them on the rotten remains of a hippo carcass. There were 9 hyaenas wandering around, some feeding, some drinking, others just sniffing and some resting. They kept coming and going to feed on the very rotten carcass. There wasn’t much if any meat left as this had rotted away leaving only the hippo’s thick hide and bones.
At dawn Marabou Storks ventured to the carcass trying to steal titbits but continuously being sent off by the hyaenas.
Of course still being overcast the light was awful, but hey when there’s something happening you just keep shooting. But just at sunrise the sun found a little gap and for about 5 minutes providing stunning colours and a beautiful dawn for that short moment. Then it was back to the drab grey of a cloudy day.
But as usual just being with those dudes always puts me on a high. Even though I don’t know these hyaenas yet.
While out the vehicle filming them they just can’t resist to see/smell who/what I am but it’s all just being curious. (I don’t know why curiousity killed the cat, should be the hyaena, they’re far more curious) If only the world would change their perception on these magical animals.
(Everyday I check to see how many views the different video clips I upload have. Lions, elephants and even wild dogs always do well, but as soon as there’s a “hyaena” in the title the numbers drop dramatically. So still the myth, on these animals that people love to hate, continues.)
This is another unlucky but lucky hyaena to survive a poachers snare. Most animals die, but hyaenas with their incredibly strong necks are one of the only to survive.
Share Wildcast with the world: 
Hi Kim,
I don’t fancy hyenas that much because of their laugh and there is something about them that turns me off. I think they are powerful and it is interesting to see them interact with each other, but that is as far as I go.
It is a shame that I still feel this way about them, perhaps with more of your videos you can educate us all a little better about this fearce killing machine.
I have to say, I’ve never forgotten that video of the hyenas eating alive the injured zebra that had broken its foot. I still remember the zebra’s face and the fact that there was not even a cry of pain coming out of its mouth, but I was feeling its pain.
In regards to the hyena with the snare….months ago there was one with a snare and you mentioned you and your team were going to try to remove it. Did that ever happened? Will you try to do the same with this one?
Great work!
Kim,
Hmm, would have to say hyenas require an “acquired” taste….;-) But. I respect them for what they are. One must respect any other species for living its straight forward life, unencumbered with the artifice of ours. That said, I still draw in breath and watch in fear for lions when there is interaction between these two species. Surviving a snare? Stupendous!
Now, by any chance did you get any stills of that brooding dawn?
Thank you for all you do. Because of you, I get to visit Africa every morning after I vote for all on Care2. And am never, never disappointed in what you share. So. Every time I post, please remember this.
Bonny
Interesting that you should bring up the fact that viewing goes down. Since discovering your site and watching videos and looking at the pictures, I have a new respect for hyenas. After watching many of your lion videos, I have to say that I no longer think that hyenas are so much more vicious in their hunt and subsequent killing. And I love how family oriented they are.
Pure African Magic is right!! I like Nancy am beginning to change my views on the hyenas - they used to scare the ‘living daylights’ outta me & I have to admit - they still make the little hairs on my neck stand up - but I’ve watched alot of your videos, programs & I see how much you adore them - must be a reason!! So I’m paying attention to all that they are. I watched one of your ‘Predators at War’ & Kim, I couldn’t believe how close you were to them. You are one very BRAVE man!! I suppose they sense that you’re not a there to hurt them - still, it gave me ’shivers’! A few years ago I watched a show about a photographer that had a ‘pet’ hyena-a female I believe-she was just a pup - I may be wrong but I think that was you - was it? Really enjoyed that program & think that’s when I started to see them in a different light - would love to see it again - except the ending made me very sad…
May I ask a silly question? Why do poachers go after hyenas??
See ya tomorrow night!! Thanks for ALL you do!
My perceptions have changed about a LOT of things since watching your videos! Hyenas are scary, but having to shut down the computer during a particulary gruesom lion kill tells me that this is all part of the grand design. Too bad, we humans are so bent on destroying it.
Kim,
I, like you, am very interested in the hyaenas. I could watch them all day! This video, with the amazing sunrise and the water of melted gold, is magnificent!!!!!! Thanks again for all you do.
Not much
Ivanova: yes we did remove that snare. this hyaena just has the wound and the snare is off in the pic. Just the wound healing now.
I think if you saw my “Hyena Queen” or “Hyenas at War”(US title only), film you’d understand these amazing animals a lot more. It’s being shown on National Geographic Channel.
Bonny: sure hyaenas are an acquired taste. And that is just ‘cos we’ve all been so brainwashed into believing them to be want they aren’t. Those myths have been so strong.
We all seem to like lions for some reason and have put them on this pedestal as the King of Beasts. Do they really belong there? No I don’t think so!
Nancy: it’s just that the myths are so strong that the layman today only knows ‘bad’ about hyaenas so they won’t watch videos on them.
Cheeky: It’s not a matter of being brave. I’m NOT brave! It’s just understanding them. No I’ve never had a pet hyaena. Would be pretty cool though.
Poachers don’t go after hyaenas. Snares are indiscriminate in the animals they go for. Also hyaenas will scavenge on other animals caught in snares and often there are more snares in the area which will catch them.
In Ethiopia the people live with hyaenas. they have learnt to understand them, not like the rest of Africa.
Don’t worry soon the whole world will be hugging hyaenas!!! that’s if i’ve got anything to do with it.
Many months ago you made a comment about the way the wild dogs and hyenas kill is much more merciful than that of lions. I now believe you are absolutely right! I had no idea that when lions caught their prey that they would actually begin to feed on the animals while another one was strangling/smothering the creature. And their feeding while it is slowly dying isn’t frenzied.. they just sort of pick at it. I can barely watch sometimes. But then you show a video of lions relaxing, enjoying each others company, or playing with their cubs. Then I change my mind again!
Even though it’s painful to watch, I do make myself. I am going to Botswana in April to volunteer for two weeks on an elephant and leopard project and could possibly see a kill. I am so so excited, I can hardly stand it!!!!
you say the use to be 5 prids not there is only 1.so there is no fighting with each other. why is there only 1 left and will it stay like that or once the male cubs grow up they will form a pride of there own?
Kim,
Don’t believe I put lions on a pedestal, ‘twould be rather crowded with the other felines great and small
Actually care intensely for all of Mother Nature’s fauna and flora, it’s extremely difficult to see the arrogance, plus ignorance, our species has for all other species. How does Ethiopia live with hyenas?
Have known death by lion not to be quick, somewhere hope endorphins (sp?) and shock take over. Every thing has its place, but we have horribly destroyed the balance.
Feel I must apologise for Americans titling your film “Hyenas At War,” too, too descriptive of most of the American mindset: gore and more. I saw a video of you filming elephants in a stream taking mud baths while you were on rocks just above them on YouTube. Some dullard wrote your video was “boring” because nothing was happening! Bleh. And in the moment, you got to see elephants being elephants, appreciate the color and hue of them, the stream, the sky and the rocks… you were so close to them filming! Stupendous!
Nancy: Wow!! Afraid I would not be able to contain myself! Congratulations time ten to the sixth!!
Nancy: What is the name of the company or concervation agency that you are going to volunteer for in Bostwana? Any info would be appreciated!
Ivanova
It’s called African Impact. Here’s the website: www.africanimpact.com
They have many projects all over Africa. Some are working with the people and some are with animals. It’s mostly because of this blog and Pete’s Pond that I have chosen this particular project.
Dave: 2 of the other prides moved off the property. Another was relocated and the other has moved onto the neighbouring property. They do occasionally come back. I think once the Nduna pride gets somewhat bigger they will split and form a new pride.
Bonny: The Ethiopians aren’t scared of hyaenas and will allow them around their homes and even sometimes feed them. The rest of Africa are so terrified of hyaenas that in places villages have become deserted ‘cos of hyaenas.