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ROFLMAO,

Poor hyena.

@ Scipio

unfortunatly you missunderstood me completly. It was a question nothing more nothing less. This Phenomen if Lions and Leopards eating
a human and specialise themselves as men eaters is already proved. I couldn´t belive the Story but so many Rangers told me that this Story is true. So my question, If Hayenas eating the flesh of humans are they also getting specialise of killing humans as Lions and Leopards.

By the way I haven´t heard anything about an accident in Sabi! But it would be great if u can tell me the Story or was the Story of the ranger? I´m a bit confused now?!!!???????!!!!!!!

Best Regards

Hi M, Hyenas will probably take anything intheir path, including humans if the timing is right. Lions on the other hand might become habitual due to various reasons. Even then, they will still take normal prey if the opportunity arise. Leopards are extreme opportunists and will live off anything including rodents, and even lizards and gheckos.


With regard to the hyena incedent in Sabi.....Well, he was at the wrong place doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. The hyena was not sick, old but was put down after.

Hi Scipio


I do not know what the men was doing. If he was running then he have to know it that he will be killed! If he run all predators change into hunting mode! unless you stand still probably nothing will happen.
The informations are intresting but the question remains unanswered!

Do you know anything about a Hayena(-Pack) which specialise themselves of killing humans. As you already told me Leopards bring everything down they can. Lion can specialise them because of the salt in a human blood( well that is, what they told me I do not know if this is right or not!!!????!!), can it be the same Hayenas? Because normaly you get warnend because of Lions and Leopards. For Hayenas I saw quite a few warnings! That is the reason why I ask!

Best Regards

I still belive unless they are in a Pack, sick or if you run, that they will not attack humans. I have really big problems of beliving it!

Ah, Sorry M, no, I do not know of any hyena pack(Clan) specialising in killing humans, also I have not heard of one in the past.

There are however incidents of hyena killing humans but compared to even Buff, very little.

Hi Scipio,
I have done a little research, unfortunatly I can´t found any evidence with the salt. But what I found out, if Esspecialy Lions get a taste of humans, the specilise themselves! Leopards themselves, the Problem with this cats, are the secretness of their live. We still have alittle knowledge about them.

About Hayenas I found out, that there are Incidients, but quite a few.
They are Predators, but for a predator really not much records!

I Think it is an intresting topic which we are discussing arent you agreeing??

Best Regards Malealea

I agree with you Scipio. Hyenas are oppertunistic hunters and willtake anything they can. And the Sabi dude was an oppertunity not to be missed

Agree with both of you. I've heard about an incident many years ago where a hyena bit a person in his face while he was sleeping outside his tent in Skukuza camp. I have also read about a child that was bitten on the head by a hyena while the child was sleeping on a chair around the bbq fire. I think this was in Botswana. Hyenas are opportunistic hunters!

During this attacks were the Hayeanas alone or in the Pack was it old? I am a bit surprised now, beause the most predators use movements of the victim to get in the hunting mode. But when a man is sleeping why does a Hayena attack?

Even Lions (exception then human killing Machienes,like the Tsavo Lons!!!!!!) will rarley kill when somebody is asleep. The most attacks in nature happe when People walking around, see the Lions and run. I heard a lot of Stories frm the Kalahari, where Rangers sleep in the wild and when the got awake a pack of Lions sleeping next to them and nothing happens!

Please do not missunderstand me Of course there are incidents, but on the most of them was it the humans fault! and we shoiuld not forgett wild Animals are dangerous all of them. We should treat them with respeckt..I just remember the Storie of Punda Maria when a men was heavily injured by a Bush bock. Nature is wild, but wunderfull;-)

Recently an Afrikaans travel magazine had a piece in where a gentleman was sitting next to his camping fire with friends. they were camping in a national park in Zimbabwe if I am not mistaken. Whilst sitting and talking he suddenly felt a terrible, flesh ripping pain and jumped up whilst screaming.

A hyena had snuck up behind him and ripped a piece of his ear off!!

The hyena was alone and healthy, but saw the oppertunity and tried to take it.

They don't have to be sick / in a clan / rabies whatever to be OPPERTUNISTIC!!

(or maybe he just wanted to see if the gentleman was still wet behind the ears )

That is exactly the problem. the excakt Situation is not clear. I´m very critical with this kind of information. Animals are normaly afraid of fire why does the Hayena come to the fire and attack. That doesn´t make sens to me! This animals getting more and more mysterical. even the fackt, that Hayenas attack humans during there sleep make neither sense. Why does they behave like that. there must be an inner Logik, but don´t come with the Thesis there ae ooportunitist! for an explnation that is not enough in my oppinion.

Man-eating hyaenas...

I've never seen anything about hyaena specialising in man-eating after having tasted human flesh, but I've seen lots about hyaena taking human flesh.

In rural, wild Africa it is not too uncommon to see people with disfigured faces, or limping, with severe wounds to the feet or lower legs. If you were to ask the question is invariably mphisi!

They don't necessarily go for the human, but they take the opportunity to get hold of a piece of meat. If that piece still happens to be attached to a human, that's too bad, they take it anyway.

They may be afraid of humans like all wild animals, but when it is dark and everything is quiet they sneak into camp, and grab whatever they can. Especially in the later parts of the night when the fires have burnt down, is the chances bigger that they'll try than when it is still early and the fires are burning high. But also, when they've become too accustomed to humans, and some of the fear has gone (there's a big difference between 1800's and 1900's meetings with humans, who would have bene mostly hunters that shoot, and current humans, that are campers and don't even have firearms, let alone the will or inclination to shoot!) they may be bolder and actualy come in earlier. Why not? Nothing to be afraid of. But they're also clever enough to know that they shouldn't be doing that, so it is a hit-and-run type situation.

Over the years many a hunter/camper/explorer have awoke to find that a hyaena had been in camp, and took something, or more than one something. Knives with rawhide handles chewed the handle off. Old-style rawhide thong camp chairs. Leather boots. Leather hats. Skins. And of course meat, be it fresh, biltong, whatever.

As for groups? Yes, the hyaena is a group animal, but it is not uncommon to see them off ranging alone, or in group of two/three. And the prey tackeld when they hunt will also depend on the group size. Small groups = small prey. Big groups, anything up to buffalo is possible.

Hi

That is interesting. Of course Nature is always unexpeckted, but the exact curmstances when Hayena attack would be intresting. Its is only a Hypothesesis, the different between Hayenas and Lions are, Lion plan to attack at Humans I assume that Hayenas attack by accident.

Best Regards malealea

Hiya M.

Good to see you back. Opportunism, more so in hyena than Lion, also, hyena is IMHO not a cowardly animal but, they know when they will win & thus will be less inclined to attack humans.

Hyena intelligence is well underestimated.

hi

Anyway its just a Hypothesis and i don´t have any evidence! I´m just wondering that we see only warnings by Lions and Leopards less Hayenas. But probably you are right evebso that hayenas have the most powerfull Jaws but Lions and Leopards have still more power.