Hyenas have an unfortunate reputation in the wild for being unsavory thieves and scavengers. They absolutely are these things, but no more so than any other predators they compete with.
Importantly, hyenas are just as ready to hunt their own prey as other animals like lions or wild dogs, and this sighting from the Sabi Sands Game Reserve shows them doing exactly that.
Jonathan McCormick caught this moment on camera as two hyenas came to a busy waterhole frequented by lions and rhinos, and found that food was on the menu as well as a nice drink.
On The Edge Of The Water
The two hyenas were standing on one bank of the waterhole, and something had clearly piqued their interest. They were both standing at alert and sniffing the air.
Exactly where the kudu was at this point was unclear. It hadn’t run afoul of the lion pride that Jonathan had caught on camera earlier, but it appeared that it had, unfortunately, alerted the hyenas to its presence.
Suddenly In Danger
The kudu, it was revealed, was nearby, standing near a shack on another bank of the waterhole. No doubt the antelope had arrived at the water’s edge expecting a nice, refreshing drink of its own.
Now, however, it found itself the object of a hunt as the two hyenas rapidly circled the water, zeroing in on their prey. They weren’t being particularly stealthy on their approach, but the kudu didn’t have much time to flee.
No Escape
Presumably as an attempt to escape the hunting hyenas, the kudu found itself actually in the waterhole, wading out into the water which did appear to be quite deep.
Unfortunately for the antelope, this water just wasn’t deep enough to keep it safe. Even if the water had been deeper, hyenas are more than capable of swimming when they need to, and one had started to sink its teeth into the kudu from behind.
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Amphibious Assault
Partially submerged, the kudu wasn’t able to put up a particularly strong fight, but regardless of this, a single hyena didn’t quite have the strength to drag it out of the water. The second hyena waded out to join the attack, and soon both of them were biting deep into the kudu.
Using their incredibly strong jaws to get a firm grip on the struggling kudu, the two hyenas began dragging their prey out of the waterhole and back onto dry land. On the banks they would only have to fight the injured kudu, rather than struggling against the water as well.
Victory On The Land
Already weakened by its ordeal in the water, and still with no real hope of escape, the kudu couldn’t stop itself from being dragged wholly out of the water and onto the bank.
Its struggle had been intense, but it wasn’t going to last much longer. The hyenas killed the kudu on the bank, and began consuming their large meal. It had taken them a lot of effort.
Water is essential for animal life, making waterholes excellent spots to make exciting sightings such as this one. Many predators hunt in these areas due to the relative abundance of prey.
