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Spotted Hyena / Leopard Account compilation; Including the full story behind the 'Leopard kill' image!
Topic Started: May 11 2012, 12:12 AM (30,780 Views)
Kurtz
Kleptoparasite
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Mother leopard clashes with large hyena

This diary entry took place at Londolozi


It had been very dark when we found the Dudley Riverbank female and her young leopard cubs (now 6 months old) the previous evening, so we went straight back to the site of the kill the next morning. When we got there one of the youngsters was up in the tree feeding off the kill, completely relaxed with our presence now that we were in the vehicle.

His mother and brother were at the base of the tree, waiting their turn. Unlike lions, leopards are quite well-mannered feeders, and when they are together at a kill, they will usually feed one at a time. His mother started uttering what we know as a ‘contact call’; a soft croaking noise usually used to call cubs from their hiding place. Since both cubs were in her view and she was staring at the one feeding, I presume it was her way of asking the fattened little cub to give her a chance to feed.



A piece of meat fell from the carcass to the ground, and both her and the other cub ran forward to grab it. She snarled at the cub and lashed at it with her paws: she was obviously hungry and knew the importance of herself feeding as she needed the strength for her next hunt. But the cub whined submissively and eventually she gave in to its pleas and let it feed.

Suddenly she lifted her head up and was on maximum alert: the noise had attracted unwanted attention… a hyena. The hyena ran in to steal its prize, but instead of running up the tree she launched herself into the hyena, clawing at its hindquarters as it screamed in defiance, displaying all the qualities of a ferociously protective mother.

The cub had time to dash up a nearby tree as the hyena kept coming, determined to get its meal. It snatched the scraps and ran into the thicket to feed in peace. Another piece of meat (the head) dropped from the clumsy feeding of the cub, and she rushed in to grab and take the hard-earned food past our vehicle and up a fallen over tree: when there are three leopards to feed every scrap is important. The hyena returned and sniffed under the tree while she hissed and spat at it from above.

On our way home Milton tracked and found the two handsome Shaws male lions. We watched them eyeballing vultures flying over (they will often use circling vultures to find food)… a perfect way to end the morning.
http://www.rangerdiaries.com/index.php?id=40&diaryID=71
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Kurtz
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Vintage collection ;)
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Canidae
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From Kalahari Hyenas : Comparative Behavioural Ecology of two species

"There is little exploitation or inference competition between spotted hyaenas and leopards in the southern kalahari (Tables 2.13, 2.15, 2.22). On only three occasions did spotted hyaenas appropriate food from a leopard; a single hyaena chased a young female leopard from its springbok kill, four hyaenas took over a freshly killed ostritch, and four hyaenas took away a gemsbok calf. Bothma and Le Riche (1984) recorded that a spotted hyaena drove a female leopard away from her kill, but that on two occasions a large adult male kept two spotted hyaenas away from its kill. As mentioned earlier, the leopards habit of taking its kills into trees precludes most scavengers from obtaining them. In the case where the hyaenas took away the gemsbok calf, the leopard had dragged the carcass some 150 m to the nearest tree after making the kill, but this was not suitable for storing the carcass in. It then ate the carcass underneath the tree until the hyaenas chased it away. After the hyaenas left, the leopard placed the head, whih was all that remained, in another tree 300 m away.
On nine occasions spotted hyaenas encountered single leopards away from food, and each time the hyaenas chased the leopard until it took refuge in a tree (eight times) or down a hole (once). On five of the occasions a single spotte hyaena was involved, on three, two hyaenas, and once there were five hyaenas.
Leopards, therefore, are usually domainted by spotted hyaenas, although the amount of food they lose is small."

Of M23 -
The info of M23 - the hyaena-killing leopard in bailey's study - is often mentioned in the book of leopards that I now own (got it for Christmas). He is mentioned quite a lot in the book by Bailey and seems to be quite a character even in a formal zoological text. He is described as large, exceptionally cunning and interestingly one of very few fully wild leopards without a fear of man. Some extracts on him - only a third of the way through so I will post more from the book later! :)
"In contrast, one large male Leopard (M23) often retreated to the nearest patch of dense vegetation and permitted me to circle him from a distance of 15 to 20 m."
"Sometimes, a leopard left a distinctive track, such as the huge, wide-toed track left by M23, a remarkable leopard that escaped regularly from traps before he was finally captured."
Male leopard number 23 was more than a number; he was an unpredictable and cunning individual that defied my initial attempts to capture him and eventually died in the jaws of another predator.
"

The other predator was a crocodile, and there was a indepth section on it in the book.

Also from the book - Spotted Hyaena as a (possible) cause of leopard mortality :
'Leopard cubs are especially prone to predation. In KNP the remains of young leopards have been found in the stomachs of hyenas (Stevenson Hamilton 1947).
"Hyenas have also been observed chasing and treeing leopards (Turnbull-Kemp 1967; Smith 1962; Kruuk 1972)"
"Hyena-scattered remains and the damaged radio collar of M7 found in the adjacent Sabi-Sand game reserve in August 1974 suggested a violent death."


The African Leopard: Ecology and Behavior of a Solitary Felid

...
Edited by Canidae, Jan 7 2013, 09:59 PM.
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Kurtz
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i don't thik was just posted, but the funniest encounter leopards vs hyenas:
June 2005

Kikilezi FEMALE *3 YEARS 8 MONTHS AND 2 WEEKS
Location: NORTH-WESTERN MALA MALA, EASTERN MARTHLY
(7 sightings)

The Kikilezi Female leopard continued to deliver some very good viewing during the month of June. One morning she killed an impala in the Picadilly area, and that afternoon was still with the kill, which had been dragged under a bush. That afternoon, a young male leopard appeared on the scene, and moved in to feed on the kill. He seemed to dominate the kill, but the Kikilezi Female remained in the area, and was most indignant. There was a good deal of growling, with both leopards involved. As darkness approached, the young male leopard (thought to be the son of the late Hlabatini Female) took the kill up a large tree. Over the next few days, both leopards fed on the kill. Inevitably, a couple of hyenas appeared in the area, and waited for something to fall out of the tree. At one stage, one of the hyenas got more than he bargained for, because the two leopards were in the tree together briefly, fighting over the kill. This physical conflict was brief, and ended with the two leopards falling out of the tree together, and landing on top of the hyena! There were no casualties, but all three startled animals scattered. The remains of the kill still hung from the tree, and the Kikilezi Female eventually returned to feed.

http://www.malamala.com/MM7/LEOP_Kikilezi05.htm
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Canidae
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Unlucky hyaena! ^
From Wildlife in South Africa by Colonel James Stevenson-Hamilton

"A ranger once shot a hyena which proved to contain in its stomach the claws and part of the skin of a very young leopard, and there seems little reason to doubt the assumptions of many old natives who declare that small lion cubs, too, sometimes meet a similar fate in the absence of their mother. A similar end, also, undoubtedly befalls many an old or crippled lion and leopard.
A Serval, caught in a trap, was found to have been eaten out of it by a hyena, just as a captive mouse is sometimes treated by a cat. More remarkable still was an incident which occurred in June 1908, when the late Ranger Duke, visiting one of his large traps in the morning, found fixed in the jaws, the foot and part of the leg of a half-grown leopard. It was abundantly clear from the bush signs that this animal had been killed, then dragged out of the trap and eaten by several hyenas.
"
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Kurtz
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Vintage, but seems to me never posted:
Male leopard – 12 October 2007
Posted Image
Young male leopard and hyaena fighting - Photograph taken by ranger Bruce Hedges

A young male leopard was found after rangers followed up on drag marks that crossed west into MalaMala from the KNP. The young male had caught an adult male impala and was feeding on top of a termite mound. The male moved off, and a hyaena took the gap and began to feed. The carcass changed hands several times with the leopard the eventual victor. He was not relocated during the evening.

Posted Image
Mala Mala Game Reserve
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Canidae
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Some nice pics there Kurtz^

Latest Londolozi story:
Hyenas Steal from Gowrie Male Leopard
by Mike Sutherland on April 11, 2013
in Leopards of Londolozi,Photography,Wildlife Diary

There is nothing more appealing to me personally than waking up early on a cold Winter’s morning with the mist still hovering above the Sand River and the golden and pink sun breaking the morning chill. The morning chorus has begun and a feeling of excitement and adventure is oozing out of each guest on the vehicle.
On a recent morning, this was the feeling myself and my colleague Life Sibuyi had when we decided to cross the river onto the northern section of Londolozi known as Marthly. The North has become a hot topic of discussion, on the blog as well as around the fire and in the ranger’s room. It always seems to deliver when it is most needed and without prior warning. This was exactly what happened on one of my most cherished mornings since joining the Londolozi team.

The click of the fingers and a raised hand from a tracker often suggests tracks on the road or an alarm call somewhere in the vicinity. Life jumped off the tracker’s seat to inspect the tracks, suggesting they were from a male leopard and were fresh. “Around sunrise.” I recall him saying. We both took a quick walk to determine a direction, and from this we knew we were onto something. Suddenly in the distance the alarm call of an impala then a growl and a shriek! Back onto the vehicle as quickly as we could, we raced further north in the direction of the action.

We came up to the crest of an open area, the Ximpalapala crest, stopped to listen for any further alarms or noise and there in the distance we spotted a male leopard standing on a termite mound, focused, alert and as inquisitive as we were at the sound coming from a nearby thicket. Was this not the male that was involved in the previous events of alarms and growls? It seemed not. Yet we were all intrigued to see how this would pan out and we spent time with this male, and watch his behavior as his opportunism got the better of him.


Posted Image
Gowrie Male on Termite Mound

Leopards will climb trees for many reasons, mainly to evade other approaching threats like Lions or Hyena, however a Leopard will also take advantage of higher ground to gain a vantage point and to survey the surroundings. This was the case when the leopard we had found was first seen on the termite mound. He then climbed an enormous Marula tree and sniffed around for the presence of other Leopards in the area. By now we had come to the conclusion that this particular male, the Gowrie 2:2 Male, was completely out of his comfort zone and in the heart of the territory of another well known male, the Marthly Male.

The Gowrie Male spent some time in the tree sniffing about for obvious signs of the ever-present Marthly male, who would most definitely have occupied that same tree in the recent days. His scent was all over the tree and we could see this in the behavior of the Gowrie Male; now in another male’s territory, but young and strong and most definitely looking to extend his range. Could there be a battle for land unfolding in front of us? We were eager to witness the developments and so we followed.




Agile and strong the Gowrie male climbed down the tree toward a thicket. At this stage we were unaware of what lay in that particular thicket; was it another male Leopard, Hyena or Lions? With baited breath we edged forward, as did the Gowrie Male. Tensions rose and then an explosion from the long grass, growling and squealing. Panic running through the bush and through the vehicle!
What we had discovered were 3 Hyenas feeding on a fresh impala kill, which they must have robbed from another predator, possibly the Marthly Male. The Gowrie male had heard the pandemonium and made his way in to investigate. Before we knew it he was back up a large Jackalberry tree with Hyenas circling at the base.


Posted Image
Ears pricked up in the alert position, the hyenas are well aware of the potential threat posed by a large male leopard

By now the intensity on the vehicle was at an all time high and we waiting on the edge of our seats to see what would happen. The interaction between the leopard and the hyenas continued for over 40 minutes without any success on the Leopards behalf. We watched him being chased in and around our vehicle until eventually the Hyenas decided that in order to keep this stolen kill safe they needed to move it away from its original position.


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While a leopard will feed on the carcass of an adult impala ram for up to 3 days, a single hyena can devour half the same carcass in under 20mins!

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A hyena lies in a small pan with the remains of the impala while it’s clan-mates move in.

One of the larger female Hyenas carried the kill to a nearby pan where she rested shortly as the other Hyena kept the lurking Leopard at bay, until they too decided that it was time to escape with their bounty. The small clan met at the waterhole for a few short moments and a quick drink and swim to cool their now overheating bodies down. But opportunism kept the male Leopard in the area, following at a safe distance to take his chance as soon as the clan dropped their guard.


Posted Image
The carcass may look broken-up, but it probably weighs in excess of 30kg. For the immensely powerful jaws of a spotted hyena, however, this is hardly a challenge.

We waited at the pan until eventually the Hyenas moved off, possibly carrying the impala kill to a nearby den site, and the Leopard was hot on their heels. We watched in awe as he tracked the scent of the carcass, had a quick drink of water in the same pan and as he moved off we decided to allow nature to take its course in private.


Posted Image
The gowrie male’s characteristic staring eyes focus on the thicket in which the hyenas were feeding on the carcass.

As the exhausted Hyena clan, dragging the carcass, Leopard in tow, disappeared into the thickets West of Ximpalapala koppie, I looked back at my guests and then to Life. Wide-eyed and lost for words with the knowledge that the event we had just had the privilege to be a part of was not your everyday sighting.
A highlight of my past few months at Londolozi. Shortly after this we decided to take a break ourselves and enjoy a cup of coffee away from the action and give ourselves time to reflect and discuss the past 2 hours in this land of beauty.

Written and Photographed by Mike Sutherland

http://blog.londolozi.com/2013/04/hyenas-steal-from-gowrie-male-leopard/

Hyaena Predation on Leopard Cubs from Londolozi (V.Minor);
Dudley Riverbank 3:3 Female
2002 – 2 Cubs – Both cubs died, one killed by a leopard
2004 – 2 Cubs – Both cubs killed by Sparta pride
2005 – 2 Cubs – Both presumed dead
2006 – 2 Cubs – Dudley Riverbank 4:3 Young Male and Dudley Riverbank 5:5 Young Male both independent. 5:5 adopted by 3:4 Female.
2009 – 2 Cubs – 1 killed by hyena off Mad Elephant Pan rd in Sept 2009. 3:3 Young Male survived and is reaching independence.
Edited by Canidae, Apr 12 2013, 02:25 AM.
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Kurtz
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These hyenas in account above are in Bildenberg Club
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Red Dog




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxjehvNzyak
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Kurtz
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Red Dog
Apr 20 2013, 01:17 PM
surely leopard is a female(may be adult ) she is half the size of spotted hyena that seems huge and fully grown too
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1977marc
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his morning while looking for cats we came across a large herd of elephants. We also discovered a dead kudu bull with a couple of hyenas feeding on it. We were watching them when one of our dominant male leopards, Tingana, appeared out of nowhere and began cautiously observing the hyenas. We are not sure how the kudu was killed, but it was possible that Tingana had made the kill and the hyenas had claimed it.

When we went out in the afternoon we found Tingana feeding on the kudu carcass with just one hyena watching him. It was obvious that this scavenger was not prepared to take on such a big, strong leopard without support.

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Vita
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Quote:
 
Yesterday afternoon we joined a leopard sighting close to the sand river. On arrival we noticed a big giraffe bull feeding in the open. Through the gaps in it legs we sighted a hyena approaching. It was whooping like crazy, rallying its clan for unknown reasons. As we watched the hyena we noticed the leopard. It was a two year old male full of courage and inquisitiveness. It slowly approached the hyena then started to stalk. As the hyena walked off the leopard charged!! It chased three hyenas for about 10m then turned as the hyena stopped and charged back. The stand off lasted about two minutes. We watched as the hyenas moved off and the young leopard lay down in the open looking into a tree. (Probably thinking, “this is a nice tree to climb if the hyena comes back.”) True to form the hyena returned galloping down the road with 3 others right behind it! The leopard jumped up and sprinted towards the tall tree with hyenas snapping at its behind. It made it to the tree. By this time my guest where very distraught about the notion of this beautiful creature being mauled by powerful hyenas. Claire, my youngest guest, was almost in tears. The hyenas, whilst whooping and laughing circled the tree a few times looking up at the lucky leopard and then turned toward the river and disappeared. Leopards are usually overpowered by hyenas one on one, especially a young one like this. It seem that the hyena had been harassed by this leopard for too long and got so frustrated that she called on the clan to teach this leopard a lesson. - I think he got the point!


http://www.wildwatch.com/living_library/kirkmans-kamp/the-courageous-cat
Edited by Vita, Apr 26 2013, 06:48 AM.
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Canidae
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Some unposted videos


Hyaena steals Leopard kill in South Africa


Hyaena trees Leopard pair (presumably in their mating period?)


Hyaena steals Leopardess' kill in the Masia Mara

Six hyaena chase off 3 leopards on a lion kill:
By the time the evening had arrived our vehicles started descending on the area to see what had happened since we left. By the time I got back into the sighting there were now 3 leopards there as Sandriver had moved in for a bite to eat on the scraps of the carcass. This however was going to be tough because the hyenas were back again. Nottins kept trying to seduce Maxabeni who still was not keen and Sandriver ate on the carcass 40 metres from them. Eventually the hyenas got fed up with the idea of three leopards hanging around and started to chase them and they managed to tree two of the three leopards and sent the other one packing. What an incredible day here at Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve!!!
http://www.sabisabi.com/blog/2578/chasing-climbing-fighting/
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Kurtz
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http://www.redbubble.com/people/mytmoss/works/5990586-hyena-and-leopard-sharing-meal

Hyena and Leopard Sharing Meal by Michael Moss no info, but beautiful pic
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ManEater
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http://federicoveronesi.photoshelter.com/image/I0000btt0JpQ13jE
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