Some sightings are difficult to forget. This isn’t just because of their striking visuals but because of the guttural sounds made by the animals.
In this incredible sighting, filmed by Jonathan McCormick in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve, the screaming of a kudu cow added to the heartbreaking and dramatic action, when some hyena followed a kudu into the shallow waters of a waterhole.
Kudu spotted alongside waterhole
A female kudu stood grazing alongside the waterhole. She was well camouflaged, standing in front of one of the bushes, the shades of her hide blending in well with the sandy banks of the small dam.
Hyena enter waterhole vicinity
However, she was noticed by a pair of spotted hyena. Hyenas frequently patrol water sources because antelope must drink regularly.
The kudu quickly stole the focus of the mischievous pair.
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They started to chase her and she entered the water, as a means of refuge.
Hyena follows buck into the water
One of the hyena closed in on the buck, following it into the water.
The water was relatively shallow and the predatory animal was able to get a good grip on its desired prey. The other hyena joined in on the efforts and together they harassed and pulled at the buck, which let out heartrending cries of distress.
Hyena use teamwork to pull kudu towards the shore
Together the hyena pulled the buck towards the water’s edge. A kudu is not a small animal, and the pair of hyena demonstrated tremendous strength.
Adult female kudus typically weigh between 120 to 210kg, making them substantial prey even for a powerful predator.
The buck had thought the water would be a place of safety. However, surrounded by water and being able to run away or use kicking out as a means of defense, the kudu was left in a vulnerable position.
Kudu pulled out onto sandy banks
The spotted hyena is one of Africa’s most widespread large carnivores. Despite their reputation as scavengers, spotted hyenas are highly capable hunters, responsible for the majority of their own kills.
These hyena successfully dragged their large prey onto the banks of the waterhole where they settled alongside some bushes and reeds. Here, they finished their kill.
Their power as hunters had been on full display. Hyenas have extraordinarily strong neck muscles and one of the most powerful bite forces among mammals. This was demonstrated through the pair’s extraordinary ability to move an animal as large as a kudu cow across a distance.
This waterhole sighting highlighted the significance of strength, timing, and instinct in the bushveld. The kudu cow, built for grace and concealment, unfortunately came face to face with two predators which have been engineered for endurance and bone-crushing resolve.
What made the sighting hard to forget was the raw, desperate screams of the buck. Nature is not always kind, however, it has its own wisdom. Every species, from the kudu to the hyena, plays a precise and necessary role in the bushveld.