Spring is the time for baby animals the world over and these baby hyenas, who have made Belmond Khwai River Lodge in Botswana their home, caught our eye as they started to emerge, explore and entertain!
3 sets of pups have arrived in recent months; two estimated to be around 3 -4 months old (with a total of 5 pups) and the others 8 – 9 months old ( 2 pups ).
And they’re keen to play! Their mother brought a few scrap bones back to the den from a nearby zebra carcass and the pups were so excited to have a “chew toy” around that for a while it became a highly contested game of who could steal the toy from whom.
After a while (perhaps not wanting to miss out on the frivolity) and to much general surprise, two very small pups emerged from the den, visibly unsure of the surrounding environment, and their legs still wobbly (it might have been one of the first times they had come above ground). These two puppies then started on an exploration of the den site, sniffing and nibbling on everything in sight. It was the cutest scene to watch unfold as these little cubs came to grips with their exciting new environment.
Hyena1
Since then Khwai River Lodge guides have reported that the den is a hive of activity in the late afternoon and the pups are always entertaining, and growing ever more inquisitive (and even approaching the safari vehicles when they arrive – be careful, little ones!).
Belmond Khwai River Lodge is playing nursery at the moment with not only hyena cubs, but the resident leopard and her cub and all the lions with their cubs nearby.
Spring is definitely in the air!
For more information about the Belmond group of safari properties, visit their website at www.belmondsafaris.com.
