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In 2006, after a 16 year 'drought' (we had twins with ADHD and couldn't visit the KNP with the terrors ), we finally made it back to the Kruger.
As all three our children were with us and it is a 1600 Km trip for us, the budget only allowed for a camping.

During this time, we had a nightly nocturnal visitor - a hyena. He made sure that I got very little sleep.

The twins were (at their insistence) in their own tent and on our last night, I awoke to the usual crashing of the trash can behind our tent. I followed the shadow of the hyena - from his sniffing and marking of our tent to his place of rest between our tent and the twins tent.
I gently nudged my husband awake and pointed at the shadow. At the same time, one of the twins awoke, spotted the shadow and informed her sibling that the hyena was sitting next to them. Twin number two thought twin number one had lost it and turned to look. As she was turning, the hyena let rip with a loud whoop!! This had the 16 year old twins yelling for 'mommy' while trying to escape the confines of the tent.
Only problem, they kept grabbing the wrong zip and ended up continuously zipping the tent 'closed'.
On our return in 2008, I was sorry to hear that the hyena had been 'destroyed' as he had become a menace. I must just add, that the 2008 trip had us sleeping in a hut and not in a tent as the hyena had even made me jittery.
2009 will see us in a tent again - any creatures of the night in Lower Sabie camp at the moment?? Will I sleep peacefully or do a need my ten million candle power torch and sleeping pills??

balu what a story, as I will be camping for the first time in Kruger during My Trip I certainly hope all creatures remain outside the fence Remember to fly your Yellow Ribbon during your visit, maybe we will meet on the road

Although scary (or should I say hairy?), there is absolutely NOTHING that compares to being so close to nature! As long as you remember the golden rule - you are in the wild territory, not the wild in yours. Respect them and they will respect you. I know you are going to enjoy every minute of your time spent in Kruger and will return home with a zillion photographs and a memory that will last a life time

I will be flying my yellow ribbon!

Balu, I hope that you have a really stunning stay. Sad about the demise of the hyena but I guess it happens.

When I stayed in tented accomodation in 2006 I was woken up to the sound of clashing bins. Next morning there was evidence of hyena spoor. I have not heard of any complaints, so maybe this one has learnt to "keep a low profile".

Single Hayenas will not attack human, unless they are sick (rabies etc.) The Problem, Hayeanas are stavanger and they will eat and steal everything around the Camp. When I was in the serengeti we had an incident with a Hayena one of our guides forgott to lock the Cooling Box properly the Result the Box was open and all the food litter was around. It was a great mess. Anyway lock your stuff properly and nothimng will happen. If you go out at night use a torch and make sure that no predators are around. You can see it by the Eyes. The most predators have red eyes. The Problem is, unless the people do not understand of NOT feeding Animals, Stavanger will come and stay and in the end they get shot, because they are to addicdet to humans. It sounds to me the People fed this Hayena, that is the reason why the Hayena is around. Seen this quit often eg letabe that they got fed and that will start the Tragedy. And if they refuse to hunt, they have to be shot. that is sad but true it is a vicious cycle!

Best Regards


Malealea

Nice story Balu! QUite scary...

Malealea are you sure about the claim that single hyenas wont kill a human?
Earlier this year a Man in the Greater KNP (Sabi Sands to be specific) was killed by a single hyena inin a private camp..from all the sources I read I saw nothing about the hyena being sick or rabid. From what Ive heard I wouldnt trust a hungry hyena at night and definately not with teenage kids!!

o-dog, you are quite right about that story. It was one of the rangers who left his door open and fell asleep in front of the tv. The Hayena came in and got him by the throat... Apparently the ranger cooked his dinner and obviously the smell of meat lurred the hayena for an investigation, after all, he is a scavanger... If the ranger was awake, I doubt if the hayena would have attacked him, but being asleep and all, well, who will ever know...

As far as I know they will not attack unless they are in the pack. The Story of the ranger might be an exception, point one this man was asleep--> he looks dead and second the smell of meat.


Anyway you always have to be prepared for the unexpeckted even nature can could change.

By the way Who said that, the Hayena was not sick? Whoi said that the Hayena were alone? Di you see it or did you just hear the story? the exact circumstances probably noone knows!

I'm sure that all predators have a very good sense if other mammals are dead or asleep. But you are right, in nature you always have to expect the unexpected and you never stop learning. Sad story

There was another ranger in the house and, when he heard the commotion, he ran out to investigate, and he found the loan hyena with the other ranger in his jaws. He chased off the hyena, but the bite was fatal.

I agree, the two factors: ranger sleeping and smell of meat, must have lured the hyena - sure he wouldn't have attacked otherwise.

@flying Cheetah

Ok you are right, but do not forgett that meat was cooking. And that could irritat the Hayena! I would guess. I still have a question what happens with the Hayena? because now it could be dangerous. I don´t know how it is with Hayenas but when a Lion or A leopard eats a human, the possibility is quite high that they specialise themselves as Human eaters. Because our blood is more salty and taste better then meat from Zebra .... . And don´t forgett we are easy meat for them we are not strong neither fast!

Maybe a Ranger read it and can give me an answer! Because when my thoughts are correckt, then that could also be a reason.


Best regards

If you are referring to the incedent with the "Ranger" being eaten by the hyena in Sabie Sands, the story goes a bit different, will not get into details but, the guy was not a ranger, also not in the correct place and also not in a state to know what happened.

A hyena is seen as cowardly but IMHO, they are one of the most shrewed animals you may encounter. They will attack on a certainty basis and will not bother humans. That is except if they know they will win the encounter. Keep the kids close, the sick and elderly safe and there should not be any problems.(Lets hope the hyenas also read this.

RE Lower Sabie, we stayed in a safari tent for 3 nights and there was also a hyena that ransacked the dustbins at night. The safari tents have open air bathrooms and one night i stumbled to the toilet and as i stood up i looked right at the hyena standing outside our safari tent!!!! It was all very exciting to me! i waited for him every night with my flash light but he was allways too fast!

At least it was a hayena and not some dude/gal admiring your physical state.

Mind you, the Hyena ran when he saw me, i think i looked very bos be(*^%!! Hare in die lug en als!
Also at Lower Sabie there were a troop of very clever baboons that helped themselves to a tupper of Coffee, opened it and actually ate it. And the coffee was in the cupboard. I ran after the baboon but i think the caffiene gave him a bit of a kick cause he ran like hell!