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Hyenas Everywhere… and a Special Predator Sighting

Category: West Gate Community Conservancy | Date: Mar 04 2009 | By: ewasolions

Exciting news!  Although we hear hyenas almost every night from the Echo Lima Camp in West Gate Community Conservancy, it is always hard to see them and so far we’ve only managed to get quick glimpses at night.  However, finally a few weeks ago we had 2 superb sightings of spotted hyena.

I was driving through the Conservation Area when we saw 5 cross the road in front of us.  A few days later, we saw 7 spotted hyena in the same area!  This is the first time that such a large spotted hyena grouping has been recorded in this area.

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(Photo above taken by Steve Kendrot USDA)

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Spotted hyenas in West Gate

Hyenas are rarely seen in both the reserves and in West Gate.  Tracks are seen from time to time - mainly striped hyena tracks in Samburu and spotted hyena tracks in West Gate.  They do cause a lot of conflict in West Gate and often raid bomas at night.  We are currently gathering data on the conflict in West Gate between the various predators and livestock.

A few days after the hyena sighting, we were driving along when we came across this little predator…

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Caracal feeding on dik dik

I have seen caracal twice before but rarely got a good look.  This caracal had just killed a dik dik when we came across it and he proceeded to feed on the dik dik for close to an hour right in front of us.  It was an amazing sighting and such a beautiful animal to watch.

This seems to be the month for my first proper sightings of these incredible predators; first the hyenas,  followed by the wild dogs and then the caracal!

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5 Responses to “Hyenas Everywhere… and a Special Predator Sighting”

paula, on 04 Mar 2009

Wow, what amazing photos Shivani. Great post, Well done! I hear hyena every night from my house - such an eerie sound! Caracal…well that’s on my to-see-before-I-die list.

sauwah, on 04 Mar 2009

Wow that is one great pic. of the caracal! and you actually watched its feeding on its prey! how lucky can you get? even though you live there day and night. i would love to see one myself! i have heard of their amazing leaping ability. and in one film featuring a group of caracals residing in a south africa air strip to fend off any bird for the government’s jets.

please keep track of your rare caracal. was it a female or male? and how many of them in the area i wonder?

Sagehorse, on 04 Mar 2009

Hi, I found your website through Twitter. Have you thought about using Twitter yourself? I have a MA in African Studies. Although I am an educational and environmental anthropologist, I often considered becoming a wildlife expert. I do work on the intersections of wildlife, environmental studies & curriculum or teaching. Love the photos, please keep them coming and twitter me @profchandler

Thank you and have a great week, give my love to all of Africa and its beauty - people included!

ewasolions, on 04 Mar 2009

Hi Paula and Sauwah,
Yes the caracal was great and I was sooo lucky to have seen it. They do have this incredible leaping ability and often get birds in flight. I am not sure if this was a male or female and also not too sure about the number in the area. Its so rare to see them and with the few roads in West Gate, I don’t really see their tracks either. I do hope I see this one again!
Shivani

Ewaso Lions » Big Bull Elephant Dies Mysteriously, on 12 Mar 2009

[…] back a few times to see Esidai after his tusks were removed by the Kenya Wildlife Service.  The hyenas have eaten a small part of him and dragged his trunk to the middle of the river.  But he is pretty […]

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