Many animals like to spend their time resting. The reasoning behind this is often simple mathematics as resting conserves energy for when animals need it for hunting, fighting, or even running from an aggressive predator.
For hyena cubs, the powerful need to play and have fun disrupts this equation. After all, it’s their mom that’ll hunt for them when they need food, so they can devote their energy to carefree games and wrestling matches.
Unfortunately, this disruption spreads into the relaxing time of the mom, who has to suffer her role in these games. Keith Raine caught this hyena mom on camera as she tried to relax, only to find her cubs including her in their games anyway.
A Well Coordinated Assault
This mom had to deal with what looked like three mischievous cubs that had decided to give her a hard time. One of them looked larger than the other two, however, so it’s possible that this was another member of the clan and there were only two cubs.
Having two cubs fits more closely with the number of young hyenas that are usually in a single litter, but whether it was two or three, these young hyenas weren’t about to let their numbers hold them back from their mission.
Their rough and tumble play initially seemed focused on each other while mom lay by the side of the road, but at some kind of signal they pounced on her as well, dragging her into their intense mock conflict.
The Descent Into Civil War
Once she’d fought them off she might have expected some form of respite as they turned on each other, but she was not so lucky. The three playing the game turned on each other for a short time, biting at each other’s legs and rolling around in the dirt as the civil war began.
Whatever truce they’d formed under which to attack their mom crumbled just as quickly as it had been made, and without it their battle became a free for all with only the larger hyena seemingly able to gain the upper hand.
With this hierarchy of strength quickly established, one of the smaller cubs turned back to its mother as its next target, while the other continued its assault against its larger fellow.
Never A Moment’s Peace
With multiple battles going on, the odds began once again to turn against the hyena mother, making a nice relaxing nap seem more and more unachievable for her.
The cub attacking her had opted for a frontal assault, but this only served to distract her when the second cub, seemingly having lost a game of tug of war with the larger hyena, turned and attacked her from the side.
It looked as though the cub went for her neck, and although this was ultimately harmless within the context of the game, it was a sign that these cubs were practicing the vital survival skills they would need when they reached adulthood.
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A Purpose To Play
Just like lion cubs, or wild dog puppies, this was a vital moment in the development of these young hyenas. Once they reached adulthood they would need to take their place in their respective clans, and this was when they started learning what that place was.
As adults, they would also be expected to hunt and provide food for each other, and rough and tumble games like these help them to develop their strength, and their skills for when they’ll need them to survive.