Marissa Weide, a wildlife enthusiast, witnessed this happen on the H4-1. She shared her footage and story with Latest Sightings.
“There were two big males closest to us, and we noticed one of them seemed quite ill. We could also see two females up ahead, who we made our way toward. Just as we were deciding to leave, and out of nowhere, a lone hyena came strolling toward the road from the bushes.”
“The lionesses noticed the hyena quickly, really quickly. Before we knew it, they were in ambush mode, and the hyena was headed right toward them!”
The hyena eventually caught on to the trap, but it was just meters away from the danger now. The lionesses pounced, and the hyena reacted by not reacting at all. This was bewildering for everyone at the sighting; even the lions didn’t understand what was happening.
Unfortunately for the hyena, the confusion didn’t last long, and it took the lions only a second or two to continue with their offense. Lions and hyenas have a deep-rooted hatred for one another, which can be seen in what happens next…
One of the lionesses took the lead; she quickly brought the hyena down and went for its throat. The hyena still showed little reaction, barely even making any noise. The other lioness realized she was not needed and walked off.
“The male lions arrived, and the lioness held onto the hyena’s jugular until she was satisfied. Eventually, she moved on with the healthier male, leaving the hyena and the other male lion behind.”
“Unbelievably, the hyena was still alive! However, the ill male lion had already started slowly eating the hyena, leaving it no chance to escape.”