It may be reassuring for human parents to know that stroppy and misbehaving children are not limited to our own species, but are something for mammal parents to deal with across the animal kingdom.
Bethany Henry caught one such hyena cub on camera, and sent the footage to Latest Sightings. This cub had reached its limit, which was probably just as small as its size, which meant it was time to make life difficult for mom.
Never A Moment’s Peace
At the start of Bethany’s footage the hyena cub was by itself in the grass at the side of the road, but the adults hadn’t abandoned it there. The two adults were standing on the road itself, looking back at it.
It seemed likely that the little troop had been moving along before the hyena cub decided that it had had enough, and plonked itself down on the side of the road, refusing to walk another step until it got some food.
The hyena mom’s frustration felt palpable as she stood looking back at her cub, before its tantrum escalated into high pitched screaming which forced her to hurry back to it.
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If In Doubt Just Start Screaming
This hyena cub needed milk and it needed it immediately. The consequences of it not getting its dinner as soon as possible were probably actually minimal, but clearly they didn’t feel that way to the cub.
Rather than heading over to its mother and getting milk that way, the cub decided that the most efficient way to get its food was to assume a tiny stance and just start screaming.
The adult hyena must have felt like a lucky mom as she moved over to her cub and started feeding it, while a second adult took the opportunity to take some milk for itself in between sniffing at the surrounding area.
Not Ideal For Survival
There is a reason children of all species are so vulnerable, and this hyena cub was showing it off perfectly. In a wide open space where sound would carry far, this cub had decided to sit still, and scream.
If there were any predators in the area, lions, leopards, maybe even a pack of wild dogs, they would hear the sound and come to investigate. This little cub would be entirely unable to defend itself against any threats, and was completely reliant on the adults in its clan for protection.
There may have been other hyenas out in the brush, it looked like it was only these three travelling together, which meant that any larger groups would have posed a very real risk to them.
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A Long Lunch Break
With her cub feeding, the hyena mom settled in for a long stay. It was a little exposed where they were and probably wasn’t the best place for a long rest, but it was the one the hyena cub had chosen so they were stuck with it for now.
It was difficult to estimate this cub’s age, as they start leaving their dens for day trips while still returning at nights, and they survive off their mother’s milk for longer than many other animals. With only the one cub though, we can be sure this hyena mom was going to keep it safe.
