The remarkable resilience of hyenas
RESEARCH | WRITING
Life on the savannah ain’t easy. In a ruthless landscape where it pays to be resilient, few animals show more mettle than Africa’s spotted hyenas. The carnivores are well cast for the part of dogged diehard: shaggy coat, awkward gait, lingering smell of death, iconic cackle, toothy snarl … you’d be hard-pressed to find an animal that exudes more rugged survivability. And that reputation is backed up by records of unbelievable persistence and tolerance for injury.
On a recent game drive in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, tourist Nelson Cruz captured footage of a hyena resolutely going about its business despite having just lost a large a portion of one of its hind legs to an agitated lioness. Just moments before, the hirsute predator had staged an ill-fated attempt to snatch the lioness’s cub … continue reading.