Those who saw yesterday’s Week in Pictures would have seen the second and third photos of a whole lot of vultures feeding on an elephant carcass.
The elephant was a young one – by no means a 6-ton bull – yet a carcass of that size would still take a while to be fully consumed. At least one would have thought. I know when a large buffalo is taken down by a pride of lions, they will sometimes take days to finish it off. Of course this is also dependent on the size of the pride. But with this elephant, I imagined we were in for a good four or five days of exciting viewing. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Within 36 hours there was barely a scrap left on the carcass, and only bones betrayed the fact that an elephant had even died there in the first place. We only arrived on the scene the morning after the elephant had died, which had given the local hyena population time to start feeding, but the efficiency with which Londolozi’s primary scavengers – namely hyenas and vultures – polished off that carcass was impressive.
We’ll run through it image by image:
On the first morning we arrived, there was a single hyena prowling around about 100 metres from the carcass. Moving closer to the dead elephant itself, and seeing how the other hyenas (there are thirteen in this picture if one looks closely), we soon realised that the lone individual must have been an interloper from another clan. It was subsequently chased off by a foray from the feeding clan. The Hyenas here had already polished off a significant portion of the elephant, and this was only after night one.
Despite all essentially competing for the same food source, hyenas are far less aggressive than lions on a kill, although when one individual seems to have grabbed a choice morsel, there will sometimes be an altercation over it, as can be seen here by the lunging jaws of the one in the middle.
As the sun came up in the chilly dawn, two of the clan stood side by side watching the interloper move past in the distance. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that hyenas are beautiful (feel free to shout me down on that one), but in the golden light just after sunrise, there was certainly something a lot more captivating about them.
That same afternoon, the local clan had either moved off to sleep or back to their den sites, their bellies full of elephant meat, and it was the turn of the local vulture population to feed. There were probably upwards of 200 of them; white-backed, hooded, lappet-faced, white headed and even a Cape Vulture. We had seen the hyenas wolfing down great chunks of elephant meat, but the vultures’ assault was more a mass pecking of smaller bits, which was almost as efficient, if not more so, at getting rid of every last morsel.
A slow shutter speed accentuates the carnage around the carcass as the light began to fail.
The first hyena returning to the elephant that evening came running in, scattering the vultures into flight. One can see how little meat is left on the bones here, and this was only about 10 hours after watching the hyenas feeding that morning.
When the first hyenas were seen feeding, it was predicted that at some point the local lion population – most likely in the form of the Birmingham coalition and Ntsevu pride – would eventually discover the carcass. However, by the time they did so it appears as though it was to late; they were found first thing in the morning moving away from the scene with empty bellies. It seems that too little meat was left to interest them, and they simply walked away.
The next evening. The skull and tusks and an empty ribcage were the only reminders that an elephant had perished here. This photo was taken less than 36 hours of the first one in the post. Most of the removable bones had been carried off by individual hyenas, although a few members of the local clan still lingered to make the most of the offering. The individual pictured was gnawing on the ball joint of a femur.
As the weeks and month pass, the elephant bones will bleach in the sun. The fibres still clinging to the ribs will be removed, and even some of the remaining ribs themselves will be cracked off by hungry hyenas. The flattened grass – now little more than a dustbowl littered with feathers – where 200 vultures squabbled and squawked will regrow when the rains come, and in ten years time, a new Londolozi ranger may well be out on foot with a senior tracker, and happen to come across the elephant skull.
He or she may well be able to picture the scene as the tracker may describe it. And although the wildlife viewing over the 36 hours that there was meat on the carcass was simply spectacular, the scavengers themselves were simply fulfilling the roles that nature designed them to perform. They may not be the most glamorous creatures of the African bush, but they play just an important part out here as any other, and if one can only get past the misconceptions of hyenas and vultures as dirty and lowly creatures, one can begin to truly appreciate how intricate a web nature has weaved for herself, and be in awe of it.
![Img 0606[1]](https://media.londolozi.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/17172539/IMG_06061-280x178.jpg)
![Wild Dog Pups Stalking Each Other On Road (3) [rcb]](https://media.londolozi.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/14135303/Wild-Dog-Pups-Stalking-each-other-on-Road-3-RCB-280x178.jpg)
It is fascinating watching scavengers at a carcass. Vultures squabble constantly. Noise levels rise. The terrible smell. Hyenas and eventually a jackal or two running of with the scraps. Great photo oppurtunities. Love it. Great blog and images.
Thanks Marinda!
Beautiful writing to accompany the photos
You’ve great photos to accompany your informative article regarding the “vacuum cleaners “ of the African plains. Whilst hyenas and vultures are not the most attractive if the species typically viewed in safari, they certainly have a purpose although sometimes it’s misguided when stealing kills from others.
I remember clearly the sight and smell of an old bull elephant that had died in Botswana, smothered with dozens of screeching vultures, each protecting their little piece of real estate on this huge carcass. It’s a sight I’ll never forget but I truly understood it. Thank you for sharing……
Spectacular story told by the photos! And how true, James, hyenas and vultures play a very important role in nature. That should never be underestimated or disdained. Thanks for sharing.
Any idea how the elephant died?
Hi Laszlo,
When the skeleton was revealed it was found to have a broken pelvis. A while prior, rangers had seen a very big bull trying to mate with a young female, and she had been seen limping. It is more than likely that her hip had broken in the encounter, and malnutrition had taken its toll as a result of not being able to walk.
James,
Your writing and photography turned a grim scene into something almost beautifully poetic. It made me think back to my first sighting of a post-kill feast and how upsetting I found it to be. Eventually, after a few more, I came to understand the balancing act of nature.
Hi Vin,
Thanks for the comments.
Indeed, as grim as the spectacle may appear, it is simply nature in its own dance…
Likewise, we the higher mammals wonder about our disappearance from this Earth; will it leave any residue or just skeleton ? Thank you for the story
Some cracking photos, especially the vultures in flight, where motorwind becomes really useful
Haha agreed Ian. We saw the hyena coming in and were sitting waiting, motor-drives primed. A higher shutter speed would have been preferred, but the light was low and I didn’t want to compromise too much with the ISO. It came out alright in the end…
The true cycle of nature was summed up from the images of the body to only the final remains. Excellent teaching and storytelling, James! You really captured the mood of the site when the Vultures took flight. What a image! Also appreciated the explanation of why this young female elephant died. I have often read that the elephant herd will return to the remains, gently handle the bones as a way to acknowledge the death and thereby pay their respects. Interesting to see if any of the rangers/trackers see elephants around these remains in future days ahead. Let us know.
Hi Joanne,
Spot-on about elephants mourning their dead, even if they aren’t from the same herd. It will certainly be interesting to watch elephants passing by this spot in future, and seeing how they react…
Hi James. Only an Intelligent Designer could have created such a wonderful Clean Up Crew. What a Creator we have! Wendy M
There is something truly beautiful about the circle of life. As terrible as it is that this elephant died, and especially how if the assumption is correct, it is gratifying to know that in nature, nothing goes to waste. This elephant didn’t die in vain.
Hi Chelsea,
Absolutely, nothing goes to waste out here!
Even for nature’s cleanup crew, that is surprisingly efficient!
Thank you James for this very informative blog & amazing pictures! I always wonder why man cannot learn from the creatures of the wild instead of trashing the planet?? Sad