Darlings in their den.
11 October 2021 | Jack’s Camp, Botswana
Maggie
Brown hyenas are a rarity to see.
They are shyer than their counterparts, the spotted hyena, and they are nocturnal creatures who scavenge through the night and sleep through the heat of the day.
Word was out amongst the guides that a brown hyena and her pups had been spotted so finding them was the goal of our evening drive.
Shatty pulled it off and there they were, 3 darling pups that looked just like German Shepard pups, though with decidedly sloped backs!
We sat and watched them for a lovely long while, mum way off in the distance, and were totally impressed by the fact that they never once ventured out of their safe haven.
We learned that mum will be gone for the night, traveling as much as 30kms in search of food, before returning in the early hours of the morning to suckle her young who, in the meanwhile, have put themselves to bed in their den!
They are weaned at around 9 months.
What an absolute privilege and treat we experienced tonight, catching a good sighting of the mum as she journeyed on into the night while we made our way back to a delicious dinner.