Words are often written about the speed, power and athleticism of certain animals. Cheetahs accelerating to over 100km/h, impala leaping gracefully over obstacles, and leopards hauling more than their bodyweight into the boughs of trees. Not a lot is said about hyenas, however. The focus is generally placed on their behavior and lifestyle, rather than their physical prowess.
The hyena leaps for the impala’s vertebral column. The remains of the rest of the impala can be seen in the branches above.
Outmatched in some regards by the big cats, hyenas are physically remarkable creatures in their own right. Their top speed is in the range of 60km/h, and they can maintain slightly lower speeds for distances of up to 5km, using their remarkable stamina to run their prey to exhaustion on the occasions when they are called upon to hunt. Strong and tough is an apt description for hyenas.
The not-oft-recorded jumping ability of these animals was something I had the great pleasure of witnessing a few days ago when a lone individual struggled in vain to grab the remains of an impala kill from the boughs of a Sjambok Pod Tree. The kill – an adult impala ram – had been made by the Mashaba female but subsequently robbed by the Marthly Male (who we believe to be the father of her cub). Once he had eaten his fill and very little meat remained on the carcass, he left it to snooze away the remains of the afternoon.
The Marthly male leopard licks his lips after enjoying the bulk of the stolen kill. He slunk away after this to drink his fill at a nearby pan and promptly fall asleep.
The single hyena that had been lurking in the background for just such an opportunity came snuffling in to see what scraps might be lying around. He found one or two bits of sinewy meat, but the real treasure trove lay above him, swinging from the tree’s main fork in the form of the almost intact spinal column of the impala.
At full stretch, the hyena’s neck resembles a giraffe more than anything else!!
Hilarity ensued amongst the vehicles that happened to be there as the hyena jumped and jumped, occasionally managing to break off a vertebra, but for the most part failing dismally, as his attempts to grab an easy meal were thwarted by the toughness of the skin from which the impala spine was suspended.
The hyena probably weighed in excess of 60kg, yet a thin piece of impala skin barely an inch wide supported its entire weight!
He eventually settled for the few bits of meat he had managed to scrounge and slunk off into the dusk, hoping to find easier pickings elsewhere.
Written and Photographed by James Tyrrell
Now that’s a guy on a mission! What a hoot to watch….always something interesting on every drive, that’s why we never wanted to leave!
Tyrrell – great shots!!
Awesome!!! Never a dull moment in the Bush!!!
What an awesome set of pics JT! Nice to have an unusual story on the blog….sure there are many more other hyena antics, particularly around camp, that could be written about too!
James – Awesome pics! Good copy too. Thank you!
What’s the difference in size and strenght btw that jumpig hyena and Marthly male leopard?
Alessio they are relatively similar size-wise. However, the leopard, being a solitary hunter, has more to lose in the event of an injury, as it is not as an efficient scavenger as the hyena. Any loss in hunting ability could prove fatal. As a result, leopards are relatively disinclined to enter into physical conflict, especially with hyenas, which are tough animals which can deliver a tremendous bite and inflict serious wounds.
Big male leopards like this are known to stand up to hyenas in defense of a kill, particularly if the hyena is a small one, but it varies a lot depending on the situation; how hungry the leopard or hyena is, how much of the kill is left, male or female leopard or hyena etc….
Thank you very much, so how much weight a standard- average mature female hyena and a standard mature territorial male leopard?
The largest territorial male leopards probably weigh in excess of 80kg, and a large female spotted hyena probably about the same, but average probably in the 70’s.
Thank you!
love the hyena’s after learning so much about them on the Live Safari Drives.. Miss seeing them and following the clan.. Floppy Ear was a great matriarch.
Thank you for sharing these wonderful pictures.. they are tenacious creatures aren’t they?