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Hi Goronta
We had such an experience with hyenas as well there were 8 and the one tore off my number plate and started chowing, all my friends started running after the one with three following them (what alcohol would do to a man )
Well I only got a handful of numberplate the next day!
They say you shouldn't drive over ellie dung and cover side mirrors with plastic bags to insure that a hyena don't feast on your car

So don't keep us waiting long, I would love to know how this scenario turned ou

Sorry dear forumites,
I was a little bit busy at the beginning of this week ,just a few days left before my next flight to South Africa,so happy ! and as usual a lot of issues to tackle before holidays

No time to stare at the stars.I don’t even remember if there was any star that night,only cold,cold and cold. My teeth started a strange noise as a pale imitation of the teeth in front of me, only due to that freezing night.It couldn’t be for any other reason!!!!!(What else ?)
When you are facing that unusual situation, you feel as if your brain was either late in proposing clever solutions or running to fast to select the most appropriate answer to get rid of three jaws busy with car biltongs !
Forget those 3 ladies (not sure) are wild animals!
What will you do if you were facing dangerous dogs in your country?It’s strange we need to recreate more familiar situation to unlocked the unexpected one. Hmmm...
I would shout ,I would run towards them and I would throw stones to make sure they understand who is the boss !
Easy in a film, easy in a book ,a little bit less in the middle of a winter night in the middle of Kalahari desert
Stones ,stones .
I saw some stones around the braii.I picked up a few ,started running to the door (2 meters) and shouted so loudly, I was sure the whole Tented Camp would wake up and arrived to save my car !
Victory ! the 3 of them were so surprised by that strange noisy guy that they stepped back and disappeared in the black dark winter night.
I felt so proud of my first battle with wild animals in a Sanpark and the strange feeling of a such an easy victory that I went back to bed hesitating for a while if I should not celebrate the end of the war with a nice glass of wine .
But at 11pm,our last night in the park and a drive tomorrow morning to Upginton followed by a flight to Jo’burg, i t would be wiser to take some rest.
Warm bed, still night, african adventures ,it did not take us time to fall asleep peacefully.
But a few hours later that happened to be in fact only 4O minutes….

To be continued

Oh my goodness!!!...................this is a roller coaster ride..................just when you think we're ending on a high..............you're left to see there's another down rushing to meet you!!!!

what else

Very exciting but I think I'm going to have to skip this post for a week and come back and read the "boxset". Love Hyenas, they are just trying to make their way in the world too. Not sure about their taste buds though. Once Mrs R. threw my boots out of the tent because of the smell. The next morning I found them in different parts of the camp, well knawed. Not much nutrients in them I can tell you, Mrs R; was of the belief that they mistook them for rotten carrion. Bit harsh I felt .

The plastic eating band was back, ready for a next snack!
Up again, out of the tent ready for a new assault!
It was almost midnight and I noticed the tent outside was slightly frozen.
And then… started one of the longest nights of my life!
I threw all the stones I could find (some on the car by the way) followed by wood left by the brai and they kept moving back, coming back, leaving….They seemed very pleased with this new game. For a while I was wondering if they were not playing with me bringing back stones as my dog would do with his ball.
Once my stock of stones was over, a new idea came (yes I know in the middle of the night facing those nice creatures you are not the most clever guy you should think you are !)
I thought they could be frightened by the light of my camera flash lamp. So every time, the flash was ready I was lightening the place and won some time.
From time to time I was shouting believing that finally the assistant could hear me and come with the cavalry.
My concern was that they could have pulled the tyres to pieces as I had in mind some article from a magazine read some time ago, they usually start their three courses dinner by the wheels.
It was my first time in the Kalahari with less experience than today and I was wondering how we will do with a destroyed car to reach Twee Rivieren the following morning.
But it was not anymore the following morning as it was already almost 5 am
I realized they had left and that I was leaning against the tent and the gate, half awake and half frozen.
It was so silent ,as it happened when a typhoon leaves a region with a lot of ruins.
I looked around and carefully opened the small gate to evaluate the situation. A lot of pieces from the car around the parking place, no more side mirror, no more number plates, pieces missing and chewed here and there but thanks to my fierce battle the 4 wheels and tyres were safe.
What a night! I was telling myself it was my last night ever in a wildness camp, in a national park, in Africa, in…
But since then every year, as a lot of forumites, I need to be there, counting the days for my next trip as soon as I come back home
To close this long story, just a few words
After a nice sunrise with a welcomed cup of hot coffee, I went out to look for the assistant “on duty” to tell him my frustration after this so long night. He listened carefully to my story and with a large smile told me: “Why didn’t you call me!”
He came back to the tent with me and I was pleased he was there as my three friends were not so far away ,slowly coming closer.
He told me to put all pieces from the car in a plastic bag to show to police officer at Twee Rivieren when making an official declaration of this incident
In the meantime, my neighbors were coming to see if there was a problem and they did not seem to be so surprised .
I was not obviously the first one (and not the last one) to be welcomed by cute and nasty hyenas in KTC. And ,by the way ,they told me they slept quite well and heard no noise at all during that night GRRRRRR!
One of them seeing I was a little bit upset by that scaring night told me:
You’ll see later you will enjoy telling this story to friends
Time will change this scaring night to very good memories
He was totally right
Thanks forumites for your patience and this piecemeal story. I will do shorter next time
I have now to go and prepare my bag for my next stay in Kruger.
Only 8 nights left!
See you soon

Most enjoyable reading. Have a safe trip

I can't remember... there is a whistle in the tent ?
enough loud to hear until the assistant "on duty" ?

What a story Goronta !

Must tell you another KTC hyena story .........

This was after the motor vehicles had a "cage" to sleep in, but before the new windows and doors were put in to the kitchen tents.

I was already in bed and hubby said he was going to shower -- but the kitchen tent wasn't closed yet, so please keep an eye open until he was done. No problem.

Then a jackal started yelling -- sounded like almost under our tent So i got up & went to peer out of the bedroom door at the kitchen tent.

Then saw ears appear above the wall, followed by a head, followed by a body which was starting to look really large

So what does one do when your dog tries to get into / grab something he shouldn't have ? Shout & run towards him ?

So, without even thinking, I yelled and ran out of the bedroom straight at the intruder -- then realised it was a large hyena running away into the night Don't blame it one bit -- it's not often a crazy woman in a pink nighty runs at you

The hyena was still lurking about in the darkness & I heard our neighbour yelling at it as well

Hubby finished his shower & wanted to know what all the yelling was about The hyena was still lurking, so he had to believe me

And I'm sure many others also have "KTC hyena" stories -- so let's hear them .........

PS he got away with a packet of bacon and 2 pieces of wors -- and we went short on breakfast

Oh my goodness .............what stories.............

Ho ! p@m what a story... sorry I have to
I think you too.. now

sorry about your discomfort, but loving these stories.

Oh my what a night you had. Would have loved to see the police/insurance report.

Hi p@m
I can imagine the scene! The KTC hyenas must see a lot of strange people in nightclothes shouting after them
It's a good idea to start listening to the "KTC hyena" stories

Morning anne-marie
Yes i think there is a whistle in each unit of the wilderness camps.Since then anyway it's part of my list of unforgettable items when in Sanparks

Hello Saraf
The police officer and the car rental compagny were not surprised at all
At T.R the policemen checked the car and especially the puzzle of chewed pieces and gave me a document to drive to Upington without numberplate.
Iwas lucky to have a full coverage insurance !
I will recommend it when you rent a car