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Hyena selecting target from Buffalo herd in Ngorongoro crater
Note how closely this Hyena is approaching the Buffalo herd. While it is circling it, it is sniffing in the air, almost as if to sense weakness. Open this fullscreen and zoom in to see the scared face of the young calf. Nothing happened in this case, but likely the Hyenas will come back, possibly at night. They will try to strategically isolate their target and then simply exhaust it. Hyenas do not hunt by sheer speed like big cats, they hunt with stamina. There simply is no grazer that lasts longer than a Hyena can run.
What still amazes me most is how strong animals like Buffalos fall into this trap. If they would act collectively and not panic, Hyenas would not stand a chance at all. Running from a Hyena is the worst defense strategy imaginable.
The spotted hyena is a species of hyena native to Sub-Saharan Africa. The spotted hyena is the largest member of the Hyaenidae, and is further physically distinguished from other species by its vaguely bear-like build, its rounded ears, its less prominent mane, its spotted pelt, its more dual purposed dentition, its fewer nipples and the presence of a pseudo-penis in the female. It is the only mammalian species to lack an external vaginal opening.
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