Tag Archive for 'Hyena cubs'

Hyena Chop Stix: Video


The dark clouds have been rolling in over Malilangwe, but with nothing more than the promise of rain. It is November already and anytime from mid-month onwards we can expect the down pours to start. I can still remember last year, when I was caught in a heavy storm and the water was flowing straight through my clothes as I cautiously navigated the muddy roads– it makes one feel like a kid playing in the rain.

Crack in the rock on the hill

I’ve been getting some daily exercise walking up and down the hyena hill to check on the new den.

Big exit

I eventually found the two older mothers using a den right on the top of the hill in a different den than I thought previously. When I first spotted one of the older cubs roaming the hill I used my “special call” to attract their attention so they wouldn’t freak out by my presence. They came straight away to inspect and then strolled over to a crack in the rocks.

New den comforts

I followed and took up a position on a nearby rock. One big mother then came out the den to see what new clan member had arrived; surprisingly, she was completely relaxed with me being there. I stayed for the morning to observed and take photos and get them used to me being around the new den.

Put your right paw up

The hyenas and wild dogs had a huge confrontation South of Manyuchi two mornings ago, but nothing serious enough for them to eat each other.

Mirror mirror

I received an update on Magwaza the lioness and her three cubs. They were hanging around Chitindigova Hill just North of Bandama Pan, always in the hills these lions, the cubs are growing strong and the ex-Nduna lioness is still mixed up with the pride with one other lioness. This unknown lioness seems to be lactating, which means there might be some more little ones on the way. It may be too soon to jump to conclusions, there is really no way to tell for sure, unless some mad person climbs into the hill to take a look. I think I might camp out in my vehicle over next few days to see what I can spot.

Snorkeling Hyenas: Video


I was out early in the morning and I hadn’t gone a kilometer down the road when I met up with a male hyena carrying a limb back to the clan. He turned to judge the threat and realized the familiar purr of Dozer’s 2.4L finely tuned motor almost immediately.

Zebra Snack

Readjusting his grip on what looked to be a Zebra front leg, he continued his trot along the road back in the direction of the den. After three kilometers or so he took a short cut through some thickets and I went around to meet him at Manuchi Pan. He was already there when I pulled up and the one older cub was at the pan gnawing on the limb. It wasn’t long before the gathering of the clan and the party once again got out of control.

Shadow Warrior

The males love hanging around with the cubs, they run up and down chasing each other and wrestle around in the pan, this is very funny to watch.

Father Cub Relations

I have been checking up on the dogs while Kim is away finalizing things on the Wild Dog movie. All the dogs are all doing well, they seem to be hunting early and catching quickly, because they are back at the den by 9:30/ 10 am. They’ve been heading straight into the hill where the den is after a short greeting ceremony and stay there until after 5pm every day so far. The pups are growing up fast, it’s been great spending time with them again.

Greetings

I took a visit to the Hwata Pan which has dried up, and also to Chimize Pan, which is full at the moment. The white rhino have been drinking there and this is exactly what I’d hoped for. There were five rhinos nearby the pan, with a large male trying to chase the younger calves away from the female so he could get down to business. Things don’t always go as planned and for now he had to come up with a better plan to maneuver his way in there.

Hazy Hyena Morning

It feels good to be back in a routine after the whole buffalo capture saga, it really pays off, putting in the hours with the animal you’re working on, I’m getting some amazing footage at the pan lately. Yesterday I watched the hyenas take over the pan once again and refuse entry to all other animals waiting in the shadows. Eventually three warthogs were brave enough to challenge the hyenas and eventually came out tops. The hyenas end up giving each other a fright and when one panics they all high-tail it out of there. Another one for the hooves.

Brave Warthog

Burning Rhino Backdrop: Video


Yellow to red, filled with blue and white a fire flickers through the colour spectrum. It’s that time of the year that ecologists recommend burning certain areas of the bush veld. This would normally be a natural phenomenon, but has to be calculated and self-acted in our controlled environments.
Burning Sky

It’s amazing how the animals are not really perturbed by the blaze and carry on as normal, just keeping out of its way. The fire swept past the hyena den but was stopped short by the trampled, there was no sign of any panic at the den, they just go underground and let the smoke pass over. I surprised the cubs at the Manuchi crossing yesterday and they were quite glad to see me tagging along.

Hyena ashes

The mothers were doing their usual “Jack-in the Box” type neck stretches eyeballing me out, but just making sure the cubs were alright. The cubs then scurried back to the den, which gave me an opportunity to follow the females on a little hunting excursion in the cool drizzle. Temperatures soared at around 40 degrees during the week and then dropped to 20 degrees on the week-end. The drizzle brings a little relief from the harsh rays of the sun, allowing the hyenas to move around during the day. They eventually came nose to nose with a herd of zebra, but nothing came of it. This is the first time I’ve been able to follow them with my vehicle and they were quite relaxed about it. So a small staring session and everyone went their own way. The hyenas headed in-between the hills and I was left stumped.

Fattened Sjambok

I met up with Sjambok earlier in the week, he was looking like a true king. He had eaten far too much, was over weight and lazy. He’s in charge, so I guess he can do what he likes.
One interesting thing I spotted was a White-tailed Mongoose.

White-tailed Mongoose, Malilangwe

This light footed creature is a little larger than a Spotted Genet and shows a lot of intelligence by hanging low and sitting on its white tail while I was scanning for it using the spotlight. Kim and I swapped blogging days while I head off to my sisters wedding for the week, so until next week – over and out.

Burning Tree, Malilangwe

Hyena Sports: Video


The sun rises creating a dark silhouette that makes it feel I’m driving straight into a colour saturated abyss. A dark form launches from the tree tops and spreads its wings as it glides effortlessly away from my moving vehicle. My mind flicks through the pages of the bird guide as its name springs to the tip of my tongue and I mumble it to myself, “African Harrier-hawk,” or formally known as the Gymnogene. Some poor bird probably just got robbed of its young or was saved by my passing through.

Intense Misty Sunrise

One gets a sense of achievement from being able to identify birds and animals without searching through a field guide. I’ve ditched the tree book for a while and I’m back on the birds. Even as the suns light is cast on the tree tops running past Manuchi Pan I pick out a Racket-tailed Roller perched on a branch – it’s a gem of a bird to spot. Manuchi has been a great area lately drawing plenty of game to what little water remains on its muddy bottom.

And the Impala Jumped over the Zebra

I’m spending most mornings and afternoons at the hyena den and the abundance of game in the area is confirmed by the pack horse like bellies of the hyenas bulging like balloons, even in the front view of the animal. The cubs still abandon everything to greet my arrival and inspect the lump of steel with tasty wheels.

Twist of the ear

One interesting happening was a male hyena bringing what was left of an impala kill back to the den. The cubs were scoffing at the skin to pick off what scraps remained. I’ve been seeing the cubs regurgitating hairballs for the last few weeks now so it must be a fairly common occurrence.

Biting Games

I waited patiently for the two new cubs to come the other night and was rewarded for my efforts. I’m so pleased that the mother has warmed to my presence, I’ve been seeing a lot of natural behaviour from the clan lately. The sports at the den will no doubt continue.

Moring Giro

Buffalo Attraction: Video


I’ve been out and about this last week moving around the property, it’s been another pick-up shoot scramble trying to finish the last of what is needed for the movies in post production. I managed to find Chawhiwhi moping around on Banyini all on his own, he was there for three days while the rest of the pride have been moving around Malilangwe Dam. I’m hoping not to run into one of them as that is the route of my little midday run and I’ve seen a few tracks of late. This is an odd pride as they always seem to be going their own way.

Lion intensity

Anyway, with most of my elephant shoot out of the way I’ve been trying to spend as much time with the hyena cubs as possible. I have a strong bond with two of the cubs in particular; they really get excited when they see my vehicle pulling up to the den.

Growing Cubs

The one little guy guns it straight for the spot on the floor next to the door. If I stick my feet out the door, he will have his little nibble at my toes then continue rolling around in the dry leaves on the ground – these guys are such value!

Affectionate Eyeball

I’ve seen one of the male adults on his patrol and he has a snare around his neck, this just seems to be a continual battle, humans dream up such cruel ways of trapping animals. I’m hoping to get that snare off, but it is not easy to stay on his tail, I’ve tried twice already and failed. Another highlight in the week was my visit to the roan antelope paddock; these creatures are as majestic as the sable.

Hairy Eyeball

They receive a feed to help them perform at their peak, so I was asked to help out for a day when everyone was busy – it turned out to be a real treat. They are very rare antelopes that don’t seem to do well in the wild anymore. I was also treated to a large herd of buffalo pulling in at Nyari Pan the other day; it can be quite a spectacular sight as hundreds of buffalo wade into the water. So another week is on its back and I can’t wait to see what the next week has to offer!

Buffalo treat

Growing Lion Cubs: Video


We have been filling our time this side with various shoots to complete the pick-up lists on Kim’s movies. Time flies when you’re having fun, but the days are jam packed and we only barely find time to get back to our animals. I have been spending most of my time trying to get the hyenas to warm to me again. It has been exciting to see them growing up and now exploring away from the den. Two days ago I spotted something else exciting, there are now two new additions to the clan!

Strike a Pose

Hopefully this means that I will have access to their sports for an extra few months. There is no tracking device on any of these guys so when they disappear I’ll have trouble finding them again. The lions were around Banyini Pan this morning followed by a large herd of buffalo – this all seemed to be the wrong way around. And to top it all, this amounted to no action and me not even being able to find the lions.

Painful?

I managed to catch up with Magwaza and her three cubs the other day. There is that phrase that all parents eventually end up uttering, “Oh, they grow up so quickly.” I think that applies for both the lion cubs and the hyena cubs, also, if animals could talk they would also be saying it.

Play Time

This was the first real bonding session with the lion cubs and it was good to see them all inquisitive and playing around. Magwaza had killed a buffalo and the cubs were beside themselves at first, even burrowing their bodies right inside the carcass. Two young hyenas were on their way to pick up the remains the following morning and even a leopard had a go at any easy meal. That was until the lions returned and chased the rather chilled cat off their kill.

Water Break