Apr 8, 2021 | News
Great fleas have little fleas
Upon their backs to bite ‘em,
And little fleas have lesser fleas,
And so ad infinitum
[This little verse is often attributed to Ogden Nash, but other sources say the culprit was one Augustus De Morgan (1806-1871), and the poem appears in De Morgan’s A Budget of Paradoxes.]
Hunters often get very close to their prey after a successful shot, to get a good look and to admire and feel the coat or feathers of their quarry. Many readers would have noticed parasites like ticks sticking to the bodies of antelopes, or tiny little creatures leaving the bodies of their hosts to seek a new universe. The vast majority of such parasites are harmless to humans, since most of them are host-specific and don’t feed on people – they may cause some itchiness and anxiety though!
Visitors to the African bush may fall victim to ‘Tick-bite Fever’ (TBF). This is a bacterial infection caused by Rickettsia conori or R. africae. The parasitic ticks carrying this infection come primarily from rodents or domestic dogs, but many people are bitten by infected immature ticks that wait on grass-stems for a suitable host to come past, upon which the tick grabs hold and rides along with its new mobile home. Experienced outdoor folk will take care to wear protective clothing, use an insect repellent on skin and clothing, and carefully look for ticks on their bodies after returning from the field. TBF is treatable with anti-biotics like doxycycline, and the earlier treatment begins the quicker the infection can be controlled. In the days before antibiotics this could be quite a serious disease, and I remember my grandfather being extremely ill with TBF before modern medicine was available.
I spent 18 years of my life working as a Medical Entomologist at the South African Institute for Medical Research in Johannesburg, South Africa and got to learn quite a lot about the weird world of parasites. During the 1970s and 1980s there was a lot of interest in the so-called ‘zoonotic diseases’, that is bacterial, viral or other infections in wild animals that can be transmitted to humans, often via some kind of biting creature, be it ticks or mites (arthropods with four pairs of legs) or by insects, which have three pairs of legs. Our work at the SAIMR involved the collection of ectoparasites (that live on the surface of the body, as opposed to within the internal organs) from wild birds and mammals, to gain a better understanding of which of them might possibly be vectors of human disease.
This work involved a lot of fieldwork, during which we collected numerous specimens of birds and mammals through trapping or shooting. Every specimen we killed for this research was thoroughly searched for parasites, even to the extent of dissolving the skin and feathers to recover ticks, mites and lice for identification and classification. In the process we discovered numerous species that were new to science; these were described and named in scientific publications, by our team members or collaborating specialists from around the world. We also worked in various parks where animals were being hunted for research or population management reasons.
We were allowed to examine culled elephants in the Kruger National Park for parasites, and we found specimens of the strange-looking elephant louse Haemtomyzus elephantis, which lives on the host’s skin and has an elongated proboscis to get through the tough hide to suck blood.
One of our collaborators stuck a finger in an elephant’s ear and pulled out a blob of wax which was deposited into a bottle of alcohol preservative.. When the wax was later examined under the microscope, a little mite was discovered, a previously unknown species that was named Loxoanoetus bassoni – how weird is that?
During this same operation, I noticed a metallic green fly slowly buzzing past, and I caught it easily in my hand and transferred it to a test tube. It turned out to a specimen of Platycobboldia loxodontis; the female fly lays its eggs in the elephant’s mouth, and the larvae (called ‘stomach bots’) go through all their developmental stages in the stomach. When the larvae are mature, they gather under the elephant’s tongue, from where they drop to the ground, burrow into the soil and pupate. The adult fly later emerges from the ground and finds a mate so the whole cycle can be repeated.
My particular job was to become a specialist on the parasitic insects belonging to the order Phthiraptera (pronounced “thiraptera” and derived from the Greek ‘phthir’ meaning louse and ‘aptera’ meaning wingless). The literal translation, wingless lice, is appropriate for all members of the order. While this was not exactly my idea of a glamorous career, I soon became fascinated by the sheer variety of these tiny creatures that have to spend their whole lives on living birds or mammals, and cannot survive for long once they have lost their host. The lice are divided into two main groups, those that chew the feathers or hair of their hosts, and those that suck blood.
One of the fascinating things about lice is that you can find several different species living on the same host species, where they occupy different niches or habitats on the body. Their distribution may depend on the grooming behaviour of the host – some sluggish lice live in places where the host finds it difficult to groom itself, while others are nimble and can avoid the bill of a bird grooming its feathers. We don’t know much about the different niches on the bodies of birds and mammals, and there is little opportunity these days for people to do research of this kind.
We found that the Springbok, the sports emblem of South Africa, is rather a lousy creature that is host to no less than six different species of the blood-sucking genus Linognathus. But for one of these species, we don’t know where on the body they live and how they evolved into different entities over time. However, Linognathus digitalis was discovered living in the interdigital fossae on the feet of the Springbok. It is characterised by having enormous spiracles – these are the openings along the body of the insect through which it draws oxygen for its respiration. One can guess that this unusual feature is an adaptation to the sweaty, dusty environment in which this parasite goes about its life – a weird world indeed!
Dr John Ledger is a past Director of the Endangered Wildlife Trust, now a consultant, writer and teacher on the environment, energy and wildlife; he is a columnist for the African Hunting Gazette. He lives in Johannesburg, South Africa. John.Ledger@wol.co.za
Apr 8, 2021 | News
African Hunting Gazette: When and where were you born?
Jaco Oosterhuizen: I was born in northern Namibia back in 1973, in the town of Tsumeb, though I spent my early years on a cattle ranch just east of Etosha National Park. Later on we lived in town because of the high security risk in the middle of the infamous Angolan bush war. My dad was a cattle rancher for 23 years until 1982, when he decided the risk of the war was not worth it anymore, so for a while we moved to South Africa.
AHG: Tell us all about your family.
JO: I was fortunate to have met Magdel in 2010 who instantly became a huge asset to our business with her enthusiastic and innovative hardworking attitude. Having also grown up on a ranch, she was the perfect match in both worlds, with a great love for the African bush and its wildlife. We have two beautiful kids, Josh (almost 5) and Nina (almost 2). Kind of a late start, I know, but mostly due to my many bachelor years spent hunting in the African bush.
AHG: What led you to become a professional hunter?
JO: My dad was an avid hunter, and since we did not have power on the ranches back in those days (except for a rather huge generator which only ran for an hour or two at night) we spent a lot of our time as kids wandering around in the bush exploring and, of course, learning from our fathers. My dad’s oldest brother was our neighbor, so we visited back and forth all the time, always with a rifle in hand, very often on foot between the homesteads.
My dad was 14 years old when his father passed away; he had to leave school at the time to run the family ranch south of Etosha. At that young age he killed his first cattle-raiding lion, all by himself, though he went out on his first lion hunt on horseback when he was only eight years old. Such was life in those days. Ranchers had to protect their cattle as that was their only livelihood. Of course, with this background, my dad’s love for hunting automatically just spilled over to me and my brother, Pieter. We have been hunting for as long as we can remember. Once that love for nature and the outdoors is imbedded in you, nobody but the dear Lord can take it away. It’s a God-given privilege, and there is just no other way to get in touch with nature, than through hunting. I only learnt more about the professional side of hunting during my ‘varsity years, and was fortunate enough to have known a former nature conservation official who also started outfitting, who then guided me in the right direction.
I became a PH in 1994 and got my first outfitter’s license in 1997. At the 1999 SCI Convention I was the youngest African outfitter on the floor in Reno. In the meantime, we have had the privilege of having built a proud reputation and also won the Dallas Safari Club Outfitter of the Year award in 2008.
AHG: Which countries have you hunted, and where are you hunting these days?
JO: I first started out in South Africa, got licensed in numerous provinces initially, then ventured into Zimbabwe with mixed successes. At the end of 1996 I ended up in Kenya on a culling expedition in northern Samburuland – an amazing experience, and ever since then East Africa was in my blood. I became involved in Tanzania in 2000 where I still spend most of my days on hunting safaris, going on 20 years now. Just a beautiful country. We added Cameroon to our list of destinations some 10 years ago and now enjoy entertaining our clients up there annually in both the savanna and the forest
Now I mostly hunt in Namibia, Tanzania, South Africa and some in Cameroon. South Africa also adds to our operation through the huge variety of plains game available, especially a must for the collectors. However, I always tell everybody, if you do not want to be disappointed in your first (or any) African experience, then Tanzania is awaiting you. This is unspoiled nature at its best, paired with dangerous-game hunting at its best. I’ve been hunting in Tanzania since 2000, uninterrupted, and there is just nothing on earth that can beat this adrenalin-rushing experience on a daily basis. It makes you feel alive every day, and every day has a new challenge. We pride ourselves on focusing mainly on totally free-range hunting and, if not possible, on huge chunks of privately-owned land in the applicable countries. The great part of it is that the different seasons in these different destinations works out well for us. We moved back to Namibia in 2012, where we cater mostly for the plains-game market, with some elephant hunts offered up in northern Namibia. I am now also hunting there fulltime, mostly up in the old Caprivi (now called Zambezi Region), generally focusing on dangerous game. I have hunted Botswana as well – truly an elephant hunter’s paradise.
AHG: If you could return to any time or place in Africa, where would it be?
JO: I think I would have loved to explore Africa, and more specifically East Africa, with the likes of FC Selous and the white hunters out of Nairobi during that time.
AHG: Which guns and ammo are you using to back-up on dangerous or wounded game?
JO: Currently, my Chapuis .470 NE with 500-gr solids is my favorite. If Chapuis would make a .500 NE I would jump right on it, but since they don’t, I had to settle for the .470 – I just fell in love with the gun some 15 years ago – it can write its own stories…J There are certainly quite a few popular and great brands out there, but Chapuis just fitted me well in all aspects, and a very important one was the standard beavertail front end / forearm so I don’t naturally cover the rear sights when I grab the rifle. It is just a well-balanced rifle and I just don’t miss with it.
AHG: What are your recommendations on guns and ammo – for dangerous game and for plains game?
JO: I have always been a big .375 H&H fan when it comes to client recommendations, purely because it’s such a versatile rifle and handles much easier than anything else out there, on average. It is important for clients to have confidence in themselves when shooting big calibers – if they have confidence in themselves it is easier to have confidence in the rifle. One of my clients nicknamed his Sako .375 he bought back in the ‘80s, “Irene”. I promise you, she is deadly accurate! The .458 Lott is also up there, and then when clients want to go for double rifles, it then becomes a personal choice for them, but from a management point of view I’ll recommend them to get a .470 NE.
AHG: What is your favorite animal to hunt and why?
JO: Elephant – just intriguing, challenging, all together awesome to hunt while understanding that the money involved truly contributes big time to conservation and protection of wildlife habitat.
AHG: Looking back, which was your greatest trophy?
JO: That’s a tough one, there are so many of them. Just recently I got a splendid 62” kudu bull, but one among many that always come to mind is a magnificent, perfect, almost 47” Cape buffalo we hunted in western Tanzania, after the client had taken an awesome 42-incher on the first day of the hunt.
AHG: What was your closest brush with death? Looking back: anything you should have done differently?
JO: In 2010 I got hit by a leopard which I ended up shooting in the chest with my .470 NE at point blank. He still got me on the arm, and as we went down I literally hit him with my fist as hard as I could on the ear… It worked. He ran off and died 15 yards from me, from the 500-gr bullet through his heart. Under the circumstances not much could have been done differently. The interesting thing was that there were five or six PHs who got hit by cats that year, mostly leopard – and everyone’s name started with a “J”.
AHG: How has the hunting industry changed over the years, and the hunting clients themselves?
JO: Well, over the last 25 years we have certainly experienced a lot of changes, some positive, some negative. Unfortunately, more recently it has become much more success-driven from the clients’ perspective – instant gratification is the norm, fueled by the rapid development of technology and communications. Life has become too fast in many ways, and there are always the pros and the cons. Few people / clients have the time to smell the roses anymore – success is measured in the number of animals taken which immediately defeats the purpose of “trophy hunting / conservation hunting”. I feel that we as professionals are tasked to re-educate hunters about the ethics of hunting and how we should protect our hunting heritage in the process. Many young PHs in the industry also need to be taught that success is not measured by the number of animals you take every year and the filling of client wish lists through the so called ”put-and-take” method – that is a certain death wish for the industry. We need to totally do away with that, whether it be on game ranches in the USA, Africa or wherever. I believe there is no place for that concept in the hunting industry if we want to survive and justify hunting around the globe. Make the effort to hunt animals in their natural habitat and ranges. We need to get away from the $-driven approach in order to satisfy personal and clients’ needs and demands. It is our duty to instil in clients that ethical hunting is a conservation tool to ensure a sustainable future for the industry, wildlife, and its habitat, and it comprises many components, and the road to success starts with us and our ethics.
AHG: Which qualities go into making a successful PH and/or a successful hunting company?
JO: First of all: patience and passion. Respectful behavior towards all people and animals alike, complemented with hardworking ethics. Pride yourself in what you are doing and do not put the $ up as your objective. Do your job, and blessings will come your way in due time. These words from Charles T Davis always stuck with me: “To ride, to shoot straight and speak the truth, this was the law of ancient youth, old times are past, old days are done, but the law runs true, O little son!”
AHG: What makes hunting with you different from others?
JO: I always tell clients when hunting with us, you hunt for the experience. I am never selling a client an animal, we are selling an experience, and yes, part of that experience, of course, is having a successful hunt.
Do not get me wrong… we totally understand that part, but the difference is that not everything is based on size. We like to hunt ethically (the better the client’s ability to move around, the easier this is for us to maintain), which of course includes taking down the older male specimens which have generally done their part in nature. In most situations this will result in taking out pretty good – to sometimes very big – specimens, if that is of importance.
This is the perfect example of Conservation through Utilization. This small percentage of animals taken selectively by trophy hunters contributes in a huge way to the survival of various species and the protection of their habitat, while affording such hunters the opportunity to spent priceless time with Nature, learning every day from their experiences, enriching their lives in many ways – something the anti-hunters unfortunately will never understand from the comfort of their warm lounges in New York, or where ever that might be. We abide by the code of Ethics prescribe by PHASA (Professional Hunters’ Association of South Africa) which I believe is a very simple basis of respecting nature while enjoying the privilege of hunting Africa.
AHG: Which qualities go into making a good safari client?
JO: Everybody has different personalities and circumstances, resulting in different objectives and approaches. However, in general those clients who are best prepared, both physically and being proficient with their equipment, and who normally have the least expectations other than just wanting to have fun, just wanting to enjoy their hunting safari – they often are the luckiest folks who walk away with the big old boys – especially hunting true free-range areas. Patience is the name of the game, and when God smiles upon you when out there, be grateful!
AHG: If you should suggest one thing to your hunting clients to improve their experience of their safari, what would it be?
JO: Take the time to prepare yourself for your trip, it’s your time and money – maximize the opportunity, and trust your PH, especially if he is not a rookie!
AHG: Based on your recent experience in the field, do you think that any species should be upgraded to Appendix i or downgraded to Appendix ii, or closed all together?
JO: Not really. Of course it also differs from country to country. I think African countries / governments are pretty much on top of managing their natural resources these days – at least in the countries where we operate, the respective government departments are very serious about their task at hand, and to secure long-term sustainable income through hunting as a utilization channel. I believe they also understand the sensitivity around the industry and therefore close cooperation /consultation with stakeholders is typically the norm.
I do believe, however, that foreign governments and their wildlife departments need to respect the laws of African countries, in the sense that if an animal is legally harvested in a specific country, respect that, and allow importation. Use your energy to run your own countries and not the world. Don’t play with the livelihoods of poor people in foreign countries for the sake of your own political gain, essentially leading to your own monetary gain at the expense of many poor people in Africa who are just trying to survive and feed their families.
AHG: What can the hunting industry do to contribute to the long-term conservation of Africa’s wildlife?
JO: I believe most of us have already been intensely involved and committed for a long time, whether physically or financially, to secure not only our hunting heritage but also wildlife habitat, and to find harmony between human encroachment and wildlife habitats. We have also been trying to educate the uninformed about our efforts and its importance. It is a nonstop battle that intensifies every year, and I truly feel that most professionals carry the conservation of Africa’s wildlife at heart like nobody else. It’s blood, sweat and tears – this is our true success story and we won’t slow down in our efforts.
AHG: Are you involved in local programs – conservation, education, anti-poaching, health services?
JO: Yes – BIG TIME, both in Namibia and Tanzania. The government in Tanzania also expects and insists on us to do so. Annually we spend tens of thousands of dollars on different projects: Maintaining and stocking local dispensaries; building and maintaining schools and offices for teachers; providing meat, and uplifting socio-economic standards. We also contribute to the American Chamber of Commerce in Tanzania’s programs and fundraisers for anti-poaching, as well as similar programs in Namibia.
AHG: In what ways are you affiliated with SCI?
JO: Though I first became a member back in 1996, I have been a life-member for some time now. I am also a Master Measurer, and our company, Game Trackers Africa contributes big time annually with donations in order for SCI to raise the funds that are required to fight battles for hunters around the globe, to keep hunting and conservation alive. We also support a few specially selected chapters.
AHG: If she had the chance, would your wife do it all over again, and what advice would she offer to any future wives of PHs?
JO: There are always immense challenges in terms of relationships and marriages involving PHs, but I was fortunate that Magdel had spent a good amount of time with me in wild Africa, and she fell just as much in love with that African wilderness as I did, and therefore totally understands my passion. After thinking about it long and hard, she reckons she’d do it all over again; nothing good in life comes easy, but make sure you know what you sign up for!
And having kids they, of course, take first priority. I have had the privilege of having my four-year-old boy already experiencing an elephant hunt which of course totally opens new horizons for him. I believe that kids growing up in the bush see life from a different angle.
AHG: Anyone you want to say thanks to who has played a major role in your life?
JO: First, I thank our heavenly Father. I had enough close calls where I could say for sure I could feel His saving hand keeping us out of harm’s way. I am grateful for the privilege to lead a life in the outdoors, and for Magdel for her awesome support, including taking care of the business side of things… she truly keeps the wheels rolling. And of course our great complement of staff, from Tanzania, South Africa, Namibia and Cameroon – we have many loyal staff members who have been with us for a long time, some 20 years plus. That makes a huge difference!
AHG: any last words of wisdom?
JO: In Capstick’s words: “.. unless your passion is greater than your fear, your fear will only cripple you!”
Apr 7, 2021 | News
Brown Hyena
The brown hyena, Hyaena brunnea, is a species found in Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. It is currently the rarest species of hyena. Brown hyenas average 34 to 55 inches in head and body length. They run 28 to 31 inches at the shoulder. The average adult male weighs 88 to 97 pounds. There are no significant size differences between the male and female. Unusually large animals can weigh as much as 160 pounds. Interesting fact: about five million years ago there was a species of hyena that weighed 450 pounds. This mega-scrounger could crack elephant bones.
Hyenas have relatively short bodies and large, strong chests and neck. They somewhat resemble wolves, but have very distinctive hindquarters that slope down towards the rump. Their forelegs are longer than their hind legs. The brown hyena runs with a unique gait, seemingly crippled as it streaks after prey.
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Brown hyenas have powerful jaws. Within five minutes of birth, young hyenas can crack the leg bones of an impala. This ability disappears as hyenas age and their teeth dull and wear. Brown hyenas have a society similar to wolves, with both an alpha male and an alpha female. They maintain a stable group hierarchy by engaging in mock fights and aggressive displays. Female brown hyenas typically produce their first litter when they reach two years of age. Mating happens from May to August. After a 97-day gestation, a litter of one to five cubs are born. Unlike spotted hyenas, the brown hyena cubs are born with their eyes closed and remain that way for eight days. All adult members of the group will bring food back to the pups, which spotted hyenas won’t do.
Brown hyenas get most of their food from scavenging carcasses brought down by larger predators like leopards, cheetahs, and jackals. They will eat just about any animal protein including, but not limited to rodents, insects, eggs, and fruit. Brown hyenas have been observed chasing leopards off kills and treeing the leopard. Sometimes lions and spotted hyenas will be seen hunting brown hyenas and killing them.
When the brown hyena has an excess of food, it will hide it in holes or in shrubs for up to one day. They are poor hunters and seldom catch live prey such as spring hares, foxes, or springbok lambs. In the Kalahari Desert, brown hyenas are active most of the night searching for food over areas as large as 34 square miles. Their powerful sense of smell allows them to locate carrion as far as one mile downwind.
Spotting, walking, or stalking the likely habitats is the best way to locate the animal. Identifying the sex of the hyena is somewhat difficult as the genitalia of the female resembles that of the male. If there are other hyena around for comparison, then the larger brown hyena is probably the male. (Except for the spotted hyena where the female is larger than the male.) Watch for vultures in the air over a kill. Where vultures or marabou storks gather, usually hyenas are present. Trophy measurement is judged by skull size, so shoot the largest one you can locate. Any rifle that is used for plains game will do. However, wounded hyenas can be extremely dangerous, so make double sure that the brown hyena is really dead. Ammunition is much cheaper than plastic surgery.
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Seven Brown Hyena Facts
- Scientific name: Hyaena brunnea
- Male height: 28-31 inches at the shoulder
- Male weight: 97 pounds
- Hyena predators: lion, leopard, cheetah
- Life expectancy: 8-11 years
- Gestation period: 97 days
- Litter: 1-5 cubs
Striped Hyena
The striped hyena Hyaena hyaena, is a species native to North and East Africa, along with populations in India and Asia. The global population is thought to be near 10,000 animals, but due to human interference, habitat loss and hunting, the animal could be facing a ten percent drop over the next few years. The striped hyena is the smallest of the hyenas with the mature male weighing between 50 pounds and 120 pounds and standing 24 to 30 inches at the shoulder. Its senses of smell and hearing are weak, but it has excellent eyesight.
As with other hyenas, the striped hyena has extremely powerful jaw muscles and can crack an antelope thigh bone easily. It is a nocturnal hunter, leaving its den only when the sun is fully set. It’s primarily a scavenger, hunting dead animals, and it’s not terribly concerned about the state of decomposition. Sometimes it will eat entire bones, but normally it will crush them into small pieces, and then consume them. About the only animal it won’t eat is the vulture, possibly because of professional courtesy – one scavenger to another?
Its distribution in Africa is northern Africa from Morocco and Senegal to Egypt and then south through Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, and finally into central Tanzania. The best place to go hunting striped hyena in Africa is northern Tanzania.
The striped hyena lives in dens. Sometimes it will dig its own, but it will use caves, overhanging rocks, dirt channels and burrows dug and abandoned by warthogs, aardvarks, and other animals. The easiest way to detect a hyena’s den is by the animal bones around the entrance. The hyena hides in deep cover during the day to avoid periods of extreme temperature and to keep out of predators’ sight.
The striped hyena will attack any animal it thinks it can subdue. It attacks by sinking its teeth into the groin area and pulling out the internal organs, causing the prey to die. The striped hyena will scavenge leopard, cheetah, and other cats’ kills. It can win in one-on-one encounters with cheetahs and leopards, but avoids lions.
Each African country has different regulations when it comes to hunting striped hyena. For example: Burkina Faso only allows hunting outside national parks and to control livestock depredation. Cameroon offers no protection for hunting striped hyena. In Tanzania, they can be hunted. Ethiopia has a strict protocol concerning hunting striped hyena. A special permit must be purchased.
There are a number of methods that can be used for hunting the animal. Spotting with optics; tracking to the den, and stalking can result in success. During the day, scan for vultures in the sky; where there are flying scavengers, the hyena will be close by. Or use bait and build a blind as if you were hunting a cat. In countries where it’s legal, hunting at night using spotlights can be very successful.
Identifying gender can be quite difficult. Usually, the largest animal is male. However, one can quite easily shoot a female. The best trophy is judged by skull measurements. Aim for the biggest head you can find.
Seven Striped Hyena Facts
- Scientific name: Hyaena hyaena
- Male weight: 50-120 pounds
- Male height: 24-30 inches at the shoulder
- Behavior: nocturnal
- Conservation: Not Threatened
- Trophy measurement: skull
- Rifle: .270-300 caliber
Spotted Hyena
The spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta, is a species of hyena native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is sometimes called the laughing hyena due to the sounds it makes similar to human laughter. When you are hunting and hear one for the first time, you will think there’s a crazy person out there in the bush. The spotted hyena has the largest clan sizes and the most complex social manners of all the species. Its social organization is more similar to baboons than carnivores.
The spotted hyena is very vocal, producing any number of sounds including grunts, groans, giggles, yells, whines, and its ubiquitous laugh. When attacked by lions or dogs, it will defend itself aggressively. The male spotted hyena stands 27-36 inches at the shoulder and weighs 90-120 pounds. Females are larger at 97 to 141 pounds. Exceptional specimens can weigh upwards of 200 pounds.
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The skull of the spotted hyena is much larger than that of other hyena species. Combined with its large jaw muscles, it can exert over 1,000 pounds per square inch of biting force. Spotted hyenas have been observed cracking open giraffe bones to get at the marrow.
The species dwells in partial deserted areas, open woodlands, dense dry woodland, and mountainous forests up to 11,000 feet in altitude. It is scarce or absent in rain forests and coastal areas. Its preferred habitats in West Africa include the Guinea and Sudan savanna, and is absent in the belt of dense coastal forest. In the Namib desert, it occurs in riverine growth along seasonal rivers, the pro-Namib and the adjoining inland plateau. In ideal habitats, the spotted hyena outnumbers other large carnivores, including other hyena species. However, the striped and brown hyena occur at greater densities than the spotted species in desert and semi-desert regions.
Territory size varies dependent on location. In the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, the spotted hyena range is roughly 25 square miles, while in the Kalahari Desert, the range can be as much as 600 square miles. Clans are very defensive of their territories. They defend through vocal displays, scent marking and perimeter patrols.
Spotted hyena groups are known as clans. These clans can contain up to eighty individuals of both sexes. Females are dominant. Even the lowliest female is dominant over all the males. Spotted hyena clan dominance is passed on down through the female side of the family; dominant mother passes responsibility down to daughter.
Spotted hyenas can breed any time of the year, but it is more common during the rainy season. Gestation length varies but averages around 110 days after which one to four cubs are born. Cubs are born with their eyes open and will attack each other shortly after birth. The weaker cubs are killed. Survival rates for cubs vary, but only 75% live through the first month. Spotted hyenas reach sexual maturity in three years. Life expectancy in the wild is seven to nine years.
The rifle to use when hunting spotted hyena is the same rifle used for plains game hunting. Anything in the .270-.300 caliber range will work well. Shot placement should be right behind the shoulder and one-third of the way up the body. The methods used when hunting are stalking, spotting and walking, or the more productive method is to use bait and build a blind. The sex of spotted hyenas can be very hard to determine. If there are other hyenas around look for the one with the largest head. Trophy judgement is biased on skull size, so take the largest one you can find.
Seven Spotted Hyena Facts
- Scientific name: Crocuta crocuta
- Male weight: 90-120 pounds
- Male height: 27-36 inches at the shoulder
- Population: 27,000-47,000
- Diet: carnivore/omnivore
- Gestation: 110 days
- Litter: 1-4 pups
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Herds usually run between 15-25 animals, although there are large groups of females and calves that gather together during the rainy season. Even though there might be any number of males in a herd, there is only one dominant Livingston eland. The male elands will fight over dominance. They feel out each other’s horns, touch heads, then push as hard as they can. They don’t use the horns for thrusting, except when fighting off a predator.
Dominant male elands may mate with multiple females. They will chase off any other male that tries to pull a female from the herd bull. Calves are born mainly from August to November. The mother eland will hide her offspring in the bush rather than stay with it. Calves are weaned at six months. They will join up with other calves and form a juvenile herd. Mothers stay with this herd for a few months then go off to form a separate herd.
South Africa has two species of eland; the Cape, or common, eland, and the Livingstone eland. They cross breed and 100% pure Livingstone or Cape elands are fairly rare these days. The Livingstone carries a higher value than the common eland, as is reflected in the price to hunt Livingstone eland in Africa. The common eland trophy fee could be as much as 50% less than that for the Livingstone eland.
Livingstone elands aren’t particularly aggressive but are well muscled and powerful. Wounded, they can be quite dangerous. Also, if the shot isn’t fatal, the eland can cover a great number of miles before going down. The side shot is usually preferred. Put your crosshairs on the shoulder and try to break the shoulder bone. The eland won’t travel far before going down. The eland is a very large animal at considerably over 2,000 pounds in some cases and can take a great deal of killing. Bullet placement and the use of properly constructed bullets is absolutely critical and certainly takes precedence over caliber.
However, caliber counts. Some hunters prefer one of the .30 caliber rifles with heavy for caliber bullets of 220 grains. The .30-06 has been used successfully on eland, but anything smaller should be avoided. Yes, a head or spine shot with a smaller caliber will drop an eland instantly. If you are off, though, you will be in for a long walk. Preferable calibers include the .338 Winchester Magnum, the 9.3x74mm, or the .375 H&H. All should have a good expanding bullet like the Swift A-Frame.
Seven Livingstone Eland Facts
The Lord Derby eland isn’t territorial, and wanders over a wide range. It is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Mali, Senegal, and South Sudan. It is an alert animal, and difficult for a hunter to approach. (Lord Derby was the Earl of Derby, an English title created in 1139 AD.) The giant eland can run at speeds up to 44 miles per hour and do it for hours.
Mating can occur throughout the year, but mostly takes place during the wet season. Females reach maturity at two years, males at four to five years. Gestation period is nine months after which a single calf is born. The calf stays with the mother for up to six months, when it will join a group of similar young elands.
Giant elands are primarily nocturnal. They have vast permanent ranges and settled seasonal migration patterns. Eland herds usually contain 15-25 antelope and last for a year. During daytime hours, eland herds rest in shady, sheltered areas. Lord Derby eland males are wary and hard to approach. In times of danger, the male will bark at the herd until the whole herd is up and running to safety. Giant elands are exceptional jumpers and can clear a six foot obstacle with ease.
Some of their primary predators are lions and hyena packs. Sickly or young elands are in danger from leopards and wild dogs. The mature, heavy, large-horned eland bulls can be hard to take down, even by a lion pride.
A good caliber rifle to hunt Lord Derby eland is the 9.3x74R with 286-grain bullets. Another choice is the tried and true .375 H&H with .300-grain bullets. You can hunt with smaller calibers, but you want the animal to go down fast. A wounded eland can be a long, drawn-out process to track.
Seven Lord Derby Eland Facts
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Herds usually run between 15-25 animals, although there are large groups of females and calves that gather together during the rainy season. Even though there might be any number of males in a herd, there is only one dominant Livingston eland. The male elands will fight over dominance. They feel out each other’s horns, touch heads, then push as hard as they can. They don’t use the horns for thrusting, except when fighting off a predator.
Dominant male elands may mate with multiple females. They will chase off any other male that tries to pull a female from the herd bull. Calves are born mainly from August to November. The mother eland will hide her offspring in the bush rather than stay with it. Calves are weaned at six months. They will join up with other calves and form a juvenile herd. Mothers stay with this herd for a few months then go off to form a separate herd.
South Africa has two species of eland; the Cape, or common, eland, and the Livingstone eland. They cross breed and 100% pure Livingstone or Cape elands are fairly rare these days. The Livingstone carries a higher value than the common eland, as is reflected in the price to hunt Livingstone eland in Africa. The common eland trophy fee could be as much as 50% less than that for the Livingstone eland.
Livingstone elands aren’t particularly aggressive but are well muscled and powerful. Wounded, they can be quite dangerous. Also, if the shot isn’t fatal, the eland can cover a great number of miles before going down. The side shot is usually preferred. Put your crosshairs on the shoulder and try to break the shoulder bone. The eland won’t travel far before going down. The eland is a very large animal at considerably over 2,000 pounds in some cases and can take a great deal of killing. Bullet placement and the use of properly constructed bullets is absolutely critical and certainly takes precedence over caliber.
