by Maripet Koipa, Guide - Chada Katavi
Hyenas are well known as scavengers because they depend on what they happen upon in the bush for food. However, they can sometimes find their own food by hunting in packs or even on their own.
Last week we had a walking safari from our camp across the Chada Plain. As we were walking, we saw four hyenas and good number of vultures. When we got close to them we found the hyenas trying to chase the vultures from the hippo carcass which was very close to the river. Then, as we were about 200m from them, we noticed that these hyenas had eaten the food to their fill and they decided to rest and wait for digestion to take place in the same area. So then we spent a little time there watching them before continuing with our walk. We realised that hyenas never pay back the reward they gain: they normally use the vultures to pin point the kill or carcass, but at the end they become so unkind by chasing the vultures off the meat and make them starve.
This was the best highlight of the walk because to see hyenas is difficult since they are very nocturnal compared to other animal.
Picture by Philip Pendael
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