Watch the Sighting:
Field guide and camp manager Vicky Stephenson was resting at her camp in Ingwelala, Greater Kruger National Park when some unique hyena calls caught her attention. She pinpointed that the calls were coming from the nearby riverbed, so her group decided to set off to see what was going on.
Battle in the Riverbed
When they arrived on scene, two male hyenas were battling it out, with a dominant one aggressing over the other who was trying its best to retreat.
The calls they had heard were cries of both aggression and distress. The dominant hyena had the other male by the neck and was trying to drown him in the river!
Everyone was initially shocked by the viciousness of the battle — “It was harsh to watch as the hyena being struck was already badly wounded and looked exhausted and in pain. We felt obligated to watch though, as this was fascinating, especially being a field guide and never having seen something like this before – although –not pleasant to watch.”
The Final Blow
Vicky and her group watched the drama unfold for over two hours. It was difficult for the group to stand by and watch the injured male pant and cry out in pain while the dominant male continuously attacked and weakened it.
Both hyenas fought on and off, but eventually, the big male got out of the river. The other male was very injured and couldn’t seem to get onto the shore, struggling to stand.
In the end, Vicky’s group decided to leave the scene when they saw the dominant male return with two other hyenas, clearly intending to finish off the hyena in the river. When checking in with the office later on in the day, Vicky discovered that this was, in fact, the case, and was glad she wasn’t there to witness it.
Harsh Realities
Vicky reflected that she often encounters hyenas having a minor brawl, typically over food, but has never experienced a battle like the one she saw that day. While nature can be brutal, every sighting provides an invaluable educational experience and a memory that will stick with you for life.
Get our Best Sightings as they Come in
This sighting reminds us that nature doesn’t always play fair. Survival can be dramatically shaped by the hierarchies within a species, where only the strongest survive.
Expert Insights
Vicky sent her footage to be analyzed by an expert in hopes of learning more about conflict within the hyena species. The report detailed that all of the hyenas at the sighting were male, and this was certainly a territory dispute.
The male being targeted, was a young male (which can be identified through teeth) and was likely trying to join a new clan. Young males will often leave their original clans and join new clans to ensure genetic variation within local populations.
In certain cases, like in the encounter witnessed by Vicky, the young males can be rejected by the clans (especially by the dominant males) they are trying to join, and this often results in death. While it may be difficult to watch, every death in the animal kingdom is meaningful and serves a greater purpose.