These hyena pups faced the brutal reality of their innocence when two male lions raided their den as part of their territorial patrol. It was unclear whether these lions were nomadic or part of a pride.
Danie Hattingh filmed this heartbreaking sighting just 3 km south of Afsaal in Kruger National Park, and shared the story with Latest Sightings.
Watch The Sighting
Lazy Afternoon For Hyena Cubs And Mother
One afternoon, five hyena pups and a single adult were resting around their den. They usually emerge from their burrows when the sun is lower and temperatures are cooler.
Hyena clans do alloparenting to make child raising more efficient, and also because of their strong maternal instinct. So in this film, it’s likely that the adult present is on daycare duty.
But their peaceful siesta was about to be interrupted by a brutal fate.
Preparing For The Ambush
Two lion brothers were patrolling their territory, roaming around the borders to intimidate intruders. These duties are meant to maintain their territorial boundaries by leaving scent marks and eliminating possible competition for their prey and mating rights.
The presence of the hyena den was an easy opportunity to reduce the size of the competition with their hunting grounds.
As seen in the video, one of the brothers was stalking on the road, unnoticed, creeping up to the unsuspecting pups. While the other one was hiding in the bushes, preparing the ambush as the hyenas fled.
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Two-pronged Attack
The lion crept and crawled, then suddenly burst into a run. Scrambling around, the hyenas did their best to bolt out of the way.
Other pups made their run, but at the sacrifice of one. The lion struck hard, breaking the pup’s back with its cries in pain and asking for help. This pup was a lost cause, unable to stand.
Before even the dust could settle, the first lion continued to pursue the hyena pups. Little did they know, another lion was already preparing to intercept them.
Obstructed by the bushes, Danie and his companion could see one of the lions catch a sub-adult hyena, a more mature one compared to the first pup killed.
The cries of the second hyena did not last long, indicating a quick kill, usually a bite in the throat, unlike the first one, which is more agonizing for the young one.
Finishing Blow
Thinking it was mission accomplished, one of the brothers came back to the first hyena kill. Initially, it looked like it was going to eat the little pup as it was sizing its body with its mouth.
It might have seen its trembling, lifeless body and did a quick bite for good measure.
Nature’s brutality is a sight that not every single person has the opportunity to see. As heartbreaking as it looks, this is nature’s way to maintain its balance.
In a reverse scenario, adult hyenas will not hesitate to also kill lion cubs. This interspecies offspring killing cycle ensures that competition within a territory and with prey is kept in check.