A poppin' hyena den

Currently our Happy Zebra clan is, for lack of a better phrase, poppin’ off the rocks. There are currently two active communal dens in the territory, but it’s one in particular that is exceptionally hectic.

Lugga D2 in all its glory. 

Right next to a deep lugga, a gorgeous den site sits. Open and far away from where tour cars stray, we share many private moments with these hyenas. Currently, we know of 13 cubs that are using this site: HWK cubs (WMEN PPL), SGL cubs (RBG NSH), MUON cub (RPSD), RUMG cubs (ARGO NAUT), EREM cub (MSHU), PIKE cub (SHOT) and Slash, Infinity, and Tim, whose mothers we have not yet confirmed. See the end of this post for their full names. We also, VERY excitingly, saw LANC carry a tiny baby to the den (video below) and suspect she has another stashed away. AKA there is a LOT going on.

Managed to take this short clip in the excitement!

When we roll up on this den, it’s never just the 13 cubs present, but usually five or so moms, a few subadults, and maybe a male or two ambling around in the distance.

I’ll paint you a picture of the den session on the morning of May 13^th.

At 0602 we arrive. Instantly, we are greeted by RPSD NAUT NSH Infinity and Tim. They know our vehicle well. EREM (a mom) is sacked out by the den. PIKE, the matriarch, isn’t present, but we see her three highest ranking kids, FEMI, MUNG and BARD, running around trying to play with the cubs. Lila and I laugh as we see an adult hyena emerge from a den hole. Our laughs quickly turn into shock as we realize this is LANC...another of PIKE’s cubs. Her being in the den hole was a total shock, as we did not think she had cubs. MUNG and BARD run over to LANC, who submissively open mouth appeases and goes ears back before retreating back into the den.

Cubs nervously grooming FEMI.

Over the next 10 minutes, the rest of the cubs emerge from the many den holes at this site. We watch as the cubs groom one another, play, whoop, and engage in nervous greets with the higher ranking subadults. The best part of these den sessions is watching the aggressions/submissions and how the cubs grow in confidence over time. Tim, originally a timid cub when we first met, now freely aggresses onto the other cubs, and cubs approach him with their ears back. SHOT, PIKE’s baby, is the youngest cub present but has the confidence of a much older cub – exactly what we would expect from a baby of a high-ranking mother. WMEN and PPL act as they usually do, nervous and suspecting of the car, just like their mother.

We see RUMG, a mother, lurking in the distance. We hypothesize she is keeping space to avoid being aggressed on by FEMI MUNG and BARD. As if to confirm our hypothesis, MUON, a low-ranking mother, suddenly arrives and is met by FEMI MUNG and three cubs who all attack her into submission with bristle tail points, stand overs, and bite shakes. RPSD, her baby tries to nurse on hoof for a few seconds. Sadly, MUON leaves as quickly as she arrived L Poor MUON and RPSD.

We spent an hour and a half at the den this morning and there was never a lapse in excitement. We saw a gorgeous sunrise, were able to collect many saliva samples for DNA/hormone analysis, discovered that LANC likely has two cubs, saw many many examples of the dominance hierarchy being learned/implemented, and shared many laughs over hyenas being the silly animals that they are. It was also the first time Serena camp’s newest RA, Lila, transcribed at this crazy den and she did an amazing job. These mornings are never dull and always memorable J

Full names: Hawk (Women's Health and People), Shangri-La (Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Diane Nash), Muon (Bohemian Rhapsody), Why is the Rum Gone? (Argo and Nautilus), Eremet (Mushu), and Pike (Sling shot). Lance, Feminine Wiles, Hunga Munga, and Bardiche also mentioned above.