Even if you travel to Africa regularly, and have hunted many times, every day offers something new and exciting. It can be as simple as seeing the same animals in a different light, or witnessing differences in their behavior, or perhaps seeing them react to the presence of predators. And then there are the really special days on safari, when you see something extraordinary. So last month in Zambia, we witnessed an astonishing sight as a hyena and a Nile crocodile came face to face with the remains of a dead puku.
As we approached a famous crawling lagoon along the Luangwa River, we saw a lone hyena foraging about 10 meters from the water’s edge. It is tearing the flesh of a puku antelope.
We surmise that the puku got stuck in the mud when it ventured too close to the water’s edge, possibly the night before. We also noticed the presence of some large crocodiles at the water’s edge, not far from the hyena, which appeared to be resting. By their general demeanor and position, we infer that they knew exactly what was going on and that they had an eye – or more than an eye – on hyenas and pukus. Crocodiles rarely pass up the chance to get a ‘free meal’…
With its jaws wide open, showing fearsome teeth, its body tensed and its tail tucked, its intentions were as clear as daylight. Faced with the threat of the crocodile but the hyena was not afraid it still did not go anywhere. Eventually, the alligator retreated toward the water, realizing that even the threat of its formidable jaws made no difference.