On hearing that a local researcher was monitoring a den site of the rarely seen brown hyena, we jumped at the chance to accompany her one morning on foot to the den site located on a low ridge of hills. These hyena are seldom seen under any circumstances, so this was a once in a lifetime sighting.
We set out on foot from the vehicle and about fifteen minutes later we stood in between two low hills looking up at the far slope. We could see the hyena lying at the mouth of its den. We approached slowly and eventually we were sitting within about 40 feet of the animal. The researcher had taken many months of habituating this animal to seeing her on foot.
This was the first time any guests had joined her and we enjoyed an incredible sighting of this otherwise normally elusive animal. (Images courtesy of Steve Tomasovic)