Hyenas don’t do subtle.
This week we found a mother and her two cubs resting at a den entrance when a new arrival showed up. What followed was a fascinating social ritual, and one that probably needs a little explaining. A form of greeting ceremony between the cubs and the newcomer that tells you everything you need to know about how hyena society actually works before a single sound has been made.
We then headed across to where Dean had found the four Nwaswitshaka Males together on a buffalo carcass. The first time I’ve had all four together. The Mhangeni Sub-adults watching from a hundred metres away. Jackals working the edges. And some questions worth asking about where this coalition might be headed next.
A week of hierarchy and power and the very specific ways this place communicates both.
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A few weeks ago I thought we hadn’t had a virtual safari at a hyena den for some time, so it was nice to see how the cubs have grown since images of them first showed up on the blog. They are fascinating creatures. Are any of the other mothers in that clean raising cubs right now, or is it just the one?
As far as I know, it is just this one litter in this den; I haven’t seen any other cubs here. But there is another den where there are a few more litters of cubs.
Hi Sean, the hyena den and it’s occupants are very interesting tonight hearing all you told us how they greet each other. The other hyena that arrived was it another female or maybe the father of the cubs. Very interesting and quite intriguing the hyena hierarchy. The 4 male lions are impressive but my favourite 2 are the Plain Camps males. Forsure the lion dynamics will be changing shortly as there are so many coalitions on Londolozi. Fantastic video, thanks Sean.
Thank you Valmai. Glad the den held your attention; it’s a great place to sit and just watch. On the other hyena that arrived, it was another female. You’re right that the dynamics won’t stay still for long with this many coalitions around. Thanks as always for coming along.
It’s always fascinating to spend time at a Hyena den site, just to watch the interaction between not only the female and her cubs, but also the cubs of varying ages as they play and explore.Similar to the Wild dog pups, Hyena cubs are so cute and entertaining during their first few months. Thanks for the educational detail about the anatomy of both the males and females and how they use that appendage when guessed?!
The N’waswitshaka males are continuing to grow and will eventually be a coalition to reckon with, as long as they stay under the radar of the other three coalitions around the reserve. I remember seeing the Birmingham males when they were the force of four, and these males could follow in their footsteps. We will continue to watch the dynamics to see what happens in the next new weeks/months.
Thank you Denise. A den really is the best seat in the house for that, all the different ages tumbling over each other while mum tries to keep order. And yes, the greeting ceremony is a strange one to explain with a straight face. Nature went a very unusual way with hyenas. Time will tell whether this lot are here to stay.
What a special way to greet one another.
Hyena society seems to differ in lots of ways from other animals. They are fascinating indeed.
Thanks for the great blog Sean
Thank you for this very interesting “intrusion” into the behavior of hyenas that are too often neglected. I had never noticed the “greeting behavior” you described. On the other hand, I witnessed what I am tempted to call a “goobye behavior” which intrigued me for a long time; but I might be completely wrong… Let me summarize the situation: an adult female leaves the den at the end of the afternoon, probably to go hunting. The pup with whom she was playing follows her for about fifteen meters. She turns around and brings him back to the den. She leaves, and the same scenario occurs again twice (without any sign of annoyance on her part). The third time, instead of bringing him back to the den, she starts licking his genitals and continues on her way. Instead of following her, the pup, on his own, returns to the den. Is this “goodbye behavior” common? Apologizes for this unapropriate comment !!!
Hi Jacqueline, thank you for your interesting comment. I have never personally seen the farewell or goodbye behaviour, but maybe I have not paid close enough attention to it. I will keep an eye out for it and do a little bit of research into the significance of it.