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Hi all.

i wil be going to the kruger in Desember for my Honeymoon. My husband is a BIG Heyna fan and in onder to keep him happy i would love to show him heyna pups. i have browsed tru the forum and seen that there are a few familiar heyna dens that are quite popular amongst forum members.

i wil be in the skukuza,lower sabie, crocodile brigde and pretoriuskop area, with a few days in Tamboti. Can you please help me in telling me where some of these dens are situated (pictures would be appreciated) so we can go see if there are any Heynas at these dens. i know they wont be there all the time but you never know. as i said my Husband LOOOOOVVES them.

There is a den on the tar road to Nwanetsi from Satara . It is about halfway from the t-junction to Nwanetsi , and on the left hand side . Not sure if it will still be active in December though .

Hi Leo21

This year we were in the KNP late aug/begin sept and we saw 3 "definate" active hyena dens! We might have seen a fourt one.

1) S8 near P'kop we saw 2 adults and 2 pups in a drainage system under the road. We only saw the pups early morning. They where about 2-3 weeks old.
2) S23 East of P'kop on the N section we saw 2 hyena in a drainage system under the road. We didn't see any pups with them.
3) S130 about 4.2 km S of the S137 turn off. We counted 18 hyenas right next to the road. 11 of them where pups, of all kind of ages. 3 of them were 1-2 weeks old.
We heard that there was a hyena den on the transport dam turnoff. We did see a hyena lying down there but we are not definately shore it's a den. Might be worth checking out though.

I'll post some pictures ones I've finished my TR "Cloggy Kruger highlights" First 2 dens are already posted.

I know where your husband is coming from, we watched them for ages as well

Good luck in finding your hyenas, hope this turns out helpfull.

Hi t-bal

This would make for great sighting on our trip. I know we wil sit there for the entire trip if it was up to my husband.... Please if you get a chance wil u post them i would highly appreciate it.


Or can u please post a link to your RT. might be nice to have an a idea what we are looking for.

Hi Leo21

Hopefully this link works. http: //www.sanparks.org/forums/viewtopic.php?style=2&f=27&t=65998
Other wise under forums- travel tales - cloggy kruger highlights

I'm a bit busy with my studies at the moment but I promiss you I'll post some pics of the Hyenas on this topic as well.

Regards Tim

Hi Leo21

I've found time to post some pics on this thread. Hope you enjoy.

On the S8 near P'kop we saw these 4 hyenas. We did here some more hyenas calling not too far away when we were at the den taking these pics. We only saw the pups on our third visit so you'll have to be patient.





On the northern section off the S23 we saw these 2 running in a drainage system right under the road.



On the Transport Dam turnoff did see a hyena but visibility was poor. Still not sure there was a den but there was a den reported in that area.

On the S130 we counted at least 18. There were very young pups among them and older pups. Don't know how big they will be in December but some will still be pups.







This young pup we named "patch"he was really funny to watch. If you find the den, try and look for this guy. He has a very distinguished patch on his body. Would love to see a pic of him when she/he is older.



At one stage a hyena jumped on the bonnet of our car. They are so nosy. It was a funny sight.



Good luck in finding your hyenas Hope this will help you. Would love to see a pic of patch If you find him don't be shy to post a pic of him or any hyena in that fact. There are more pics on my TR if this aint enough.

Regards Tim

Hi t-bal,
Thanks for posting the photos of the Hyenas on the S130. We also saw +- 20 one day in early September this year. ...... and I also have a photo of Patch who came quite near the car. The guy who jumped on your bonnet came to my window and sit looking at me. I think they are being fed by visitors We always stop for them

Leo21
We saw a heavily pregnant Hyena on the H10 near Mlondosi in September and I heard that there are pups again in the culvert on the Kruger Gate road - when you turn right from Skukuza towards Kruger Gate before you reach the bridge, they will be on your left hand side. There was/is a den on the S118 as well

Two dens in those areas that I have seen - and seen on different visits:

1st is the den on the dirt road leading to Transport dam. It is pretty close to the tar road, on your left if you are driving towards the dam.


- Definitely there!

2nd is on the road between Skukuza and Paul Kruger Gate. If you are driving from Skukuza towards the gate - on your left, a few km's from camp. There is a no entry dirt road turning off to the left - just there!

Vlarkvarkvrou: We thought that they might be getting fed as well, because they also came up to our window and the windows of 2 other cars. But it also might be their natural selves, hyenas are quite inquisitive. Hope that they don't get fed, would be ruining a great sighting

Bushbuddies: Good to know that it was a den. Did they have pups there as well? We arrived round midday at the dam. Too hot for the hyenas to be active.

Leo21: I forgot to mention. At the S130 den we saw a severely pregnant hyena laying a km away from the den in a water pool. She must have given birth by now. Something to look forward too .

Hi Leo21,
The den that I mentioned in the culvert near Skukuza on the Kruger Gate Road, was already a "well established" den Dec 2010. Here is some pics for your Hubby:





These 2 youngsters greeted us earlier this year between Napi loop and the Shitlave Dam on the Numbi Road (H1-1):



I will also post a few pics from the den mentioned by me and t-bal.

Leo21 (and t-bal),

Pics from the S130 near Duke's waterhole. t-bal also posted photos of the same group (BTW I like the name "Patches" ):

:T-bal. Vlakvarkvrou & bushbuddies

thank you all for the pics and info on the Heyna dens. i am looking foward to our wonderfull sightings and i wil be sure to look out for "patches" and post sum pics of him.

The pics are awesome!!

very excited now!!!!

hope for plentyfull heyna sightings!

my hubby wil be very pleased with this

Approximitly 2km from Afsal coming from Berg N Dal is a Den on the right hand side of the road. We saw a mom and her 4 pups daily last week.