Unknown to them, a hyena was in the vicinity, waiting to score a free meal!
Spotlight shines on spectacular sighting
Jenny had been on a night drive in the reserve when the special moment unfolded. They had been driving in a game vehicle which was designed for night drives. The vehicle came equipped with a spotlight, which allowed vehicle occupants to see into the bush in spite of the thick darkness of the night. Without the vehicle’s spotlight, it would have been nearly impossible to see anything clearly. The reserve is far away from the city and the only light at night comes from stars and the moon.
The vehicle’s spotlight managed to pick up a wondrous sight in one of the trees just off the road. For Jenny this was a memorable moment, as the nocturnal behaviour of animals is something few get to witness.
Leopard’s presence brings vehicle to a standstill
A leopard was in the tree feeding off a recently-made kill. The silhouette of the leopard was unmistakable and the vehicle stopped to inspect the rare sighting. The spotlight provided ample light to view the leopard as it reclined on one of the branches to feed.
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As nocturnal animals, leopards hunt mostly at night. This behaviour helps them avoid competition with larger predators like lions, which are also active but often dominate kills during the day or early evening.
Hunting under cover of darkness gives the leopard a stealth advantage, allowing it to get closer to prey without being seen.
The leopard was feeding undisturbed in the tree’s branches. This was to the delight of the game vehicle occupants who were able to film the spectacular sighting.
Meat from carcass falls to hyena’s delight
However, the leopard’s peaceful feeding was disturbed when some of the meat from the carcass it was feeding on fell from its grip. A hyena was waiting nearby and immediately took advantage of the situation, claiming the meal as its own.
The hyena’s presence in the event of the kill was not unusual. Encounters where a spotted hyena takes over a kill from a leopard are a well-known part of bushveld dynamics.
In the ‘right place at the right time’
Leopards are solitary hunters which rely on stealth and strength to make a kill, often dragging it into a tree to keep it safe, as this one did.
This hyena was ‘in the right place at the right time’ when the kill fell and it seized the moment.
Spotted hyenas are not just scavengers; they are highly efficient hunters and dominant competitors. This one took on the role of scavenger in this moment and won itself a free meal, much to the spectators’ interest.
Hyenas are highly intelligent and opportunistic. If they find a carcass in a tree, they may wait below for hours, even days, for the leopard to come down.
Leopards eventually must descend to drink water or rest, and that’s when a hyena may rush in. In some cases, if the carcass isn’t secured well or is dragged too close to the trunk, a determined hyena might even manage to pull parts of it down.
There are also moments of sheer opportunism. If the leopard is startled, injured, or briefly distracted, a hyena can quickly grab fallen pieces of meat or even claim the entire carcass if it ends up on the ground.