A recent safari captured a rare wildlife encounter on camera. An old hyena approached two resting lionesses, seemingly making no attempt to escape. Wildlife enthusiasts are puzzled by the hyena's behaviour.
According to Marisa Weed, a tourist on the safari and contributor to Latest Sightings, their jeep was stationed near two lionesses when a hyena emerged from the brush and stood still in front of them. The lionesses quickly noticed the hyena and adopted a predatory stance. The hyena, however, continued its approach despite the clear danger.
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"It was as if the hyena was walking into a trap," Weed said. "Even when the lionesses pounced, the hyena didn't react."
Weed adds that they initially observed two male lions nearby, with one appearing unwell.
"Just as we were deciding to leave," Weed continues, "out of nowhere, a lone hyena came strolling towards the road from the bushes."
Latest Sightings reports that the hyena eventually appeared to recognise the danger but was too close to escape. The lionesses attacked, and the hyenas offered no resistance.
Lions and hyenas are natural rivals. One lioness quickly subdued the hyena and went for its throat. Remarkably, the hyena remained largely passive throughout the encounter.
The other lioness, realising her assistance wasn't needed, walked away. The male lions arrived, and the dominant lioness held onto the hyena until it succumbed. She then left with the healthier male, leaving the remaining male to feed on the carcass.
While the outcome is unfortunate for the hyena, this encounter offers a unique opportunity for wildlife experts to analyse the hyena's unusual behaviour and gain insights into predator-prey interactions.
