Edrich heard a commotion that sounded like hyenas caught in a feeding frenzy.
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He described the event as. “We were just about to put the meat on the fire when we heard hyenas causing a big commotion.” This whole ordeal took place right in front of a private camp in the Timbavati, Greater Kruger Area.
Lodge Manager Goes To Investigate After Hearing Commotion
Edrich said that when the noises did not stop, he and his team went to investigate what was happening.
“Our initial thoughts were the hyenas were busy hunting down an old or sick buffalo,” he said. “This does happen here occasionally, and those noises sounded like hyenas during a feeding frenzy combined with the distress call of a buffalo.”
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They headed down to the river area, carrying a torch, and there, towards the thick bush, they were met by a scene of ‘horror and confusion’, in his words.
Two hyenas were on top of another hyena and violently attacking the animal.
A Scene Of ‘Horror And Confusion’
Edrich described the terrible sight that they saw, explaining that one of the hyenas then lifted its face, and they saw it was covered with blood. The anguished creature cried out like a buffalo in distress.
An Unforgettable Scene Of Brutality
“The noise and smells at night with this right in front of us was something we won’t quickly forget,” he said. “The reason for this can only be related back to either a threat or competition.”
He said that whatever had prompted the hyenas to fight that night, one thing was clear: the situation was not taken lightly by the animals involved.
“One also realized that intentional torture was part of it: biting ears, face, genitals and ripping guts non-stop. Or are hyenas just that tough that this is what it takes to kill one? There was not a grain of mercy here and this was serious business for these hyenas to deal with. “
There are many reasons hyenas are aggressive.
One of these relates to social hierarchy. Hyenas have complex social structures, and aggression is usually directed down the social hierarchy. Lower-ranking hyenas are often targeted.
Biological factors also contribute to their naturally aggressive tendencies. Hyenas have a high level of testosterone, and this also stirs them up for a fight.
These testosterone levels are even evident in cubs, which might display aggression towards one another.
A Somber End To A Gruelling Sighting
The bloody skirmish lasted for almost an hour, without the hyenas taking any rest.
Edrich said that the two attackers were tired out by the end. “They left the badly mauled victim still breathing,” he said. “He died a slow death that night.”
Edrich said that in his time in the bushveld, he had never witnessed such carnage.
He said that the hyena’s carcass lay there for over a day. Eventually, it was taken away. Where it had been, there were track marks left by the creatures that had pulled it away. Edrich says these were identified as hyena spoor.
“Hyenas are probably the toughest animals on this planet, so when they turn on each other, things get messy,” he said.