Hyaenas have munchies: Video

Arriving near the den this morning I found these hyaenas walking down the road with the remains of an impala carcass. I presume this was killed by themselves as all looked well fed.
The female with the carcass was obviously of a high rank as none of the others dared to challenge her for the food and she was quite comfortable to carry it around in their close proximity.

While the others trailed her they flushed a warthog and her piglets, but she retaliated and sent 3 hyaenas packing. But then realising they’d been done by, the hyaenas turned and chased her off. (I think this is the same warthog family that challenged that hyaena on its own some time ago. I’m sure it’s just a game for them, although one day the warthog could just become dinner.)

While waiting around as the female played with her carcass, this hyaena came up to the car sniffed at my hand. This is a hyaena I’ve never seen before but it’s already so trusting that it approaches so close. Usually it’s the younger animals that show little fear and are more curious, and the adult males are just the same.

With that carcass to keep them occupied, there was no activity at the den, except for a few well fed adults lying around. They moved away into the shade as the day warmed.
It was only in the late afternoon that the adults moved back to the den and called the pups out. The two 3month old cubs slowly made their appearances, the one chewing on a fresh bone still covered in meat.
These youngsters were suddenly so much bolder than they were yesterday. Possibly cos mom was lying close by. But they came to within about 3m of the vehicle, just being as curious as only hyaenas are.
For the most part of the day, with the hyaenas resting, I was out looking for any evidence of the wild dogs but still came up empty handed.

The Chiredzi River as usual had its compliment of elephant bulls scattered in the woodlands trashing trees as bulls so like to do.
Another day gone and the wild dogs pups no doubt get bigger and so do my frustrations. Soon they’ll be adult and I wouldn’t have seen them. If only I could find them in the daytime resting up so we could get a collar on them? I’m still hopeful I’ll get that right. Watch this space!