Cute vs Cute: A surprise late entry!

Just when the judges were tallying up their scores, a surprise late entry into the cutest cub competition enters the fray, and they are hard to ignore!
The entry was in fact so late, that the ringside announcer went home, leaving me to do the honours. At a cool 30 pounds combined, a matching his and hers combination from the deep south, born from the belly of National Geographic’s hyaena queen herself… two little hyaena cubs!
(I don’t think I quite managed to pull off the ringside voice.)

These two little chaps have been quietly growing up under a massive rock in the southern most reaches of the reserve, unbeknownst to us, until now. A bit of luck, well, mostly guess work, led to the discovery of the den site a few weeks ago. Patience turned out to be the key, as they were rather nervous at first of the massive Land Rover parking on top of their rocky fortress. This was until we were lucky enough to be there when the mother arrived back at the den site, and introduced her youngsters to the vehicle. Since then, it has taken a few trips down south to get useable shots of these little guys, but it has been well worth the wait!

I fully understand that hyaenas are not everyone’s cup of tea, no thanks to Disney there, but look at these faces! How could you not give them a vote in the cutest cub throw down?

Check out the poll at the end, and cast your vote!

Hyaena cub

Hyaena cubs

Hyaena cubs playing

Hyaena cubs playing

Hyaena cub with it’s prize

Hyaena cub investigates the water

Hyaena cub moves closer

Hyaena cub

So much for the textbook!

Mating leopards, according to the textbook, are not supposed to bother with hunting. Recently, I saw them throw the textbook out the window, interrupt their less than romantic copulations, and chase down a baby nyala.
Well, there wasn’t much chasing to be done, because the nyala was only a few days old.
The male leopard, took off like a shot into some thick bush, the stalk forgotten about, and popped back up with the helpless victim in his clutches.

Adding to the unusual events, he had not killed the little chap, but instead, stood over it, looking quizzically at it. The female leopard, having heard the cry for help from the little nyala, came rushing in to see if she could get a part of the meal on offer. She too put instinct aside, and watched it for a while.
By the time I managed to get into a position to photograph the madness, the nyala lamb made a mad dash for it, taking the two leopards with it, in what became a cruel game of cat and, well, nyala. These miniature chases went on for a while, but only allowed one photo opportunity. I did get a sequence that I am extremely proud of, given the terrain, and lighting! (Check the madness on Mating leopards kill nyala)
Eventually though, it all came to an end, when the female leopard laid down the business, ending the nyala’s misery.
Immediately after, the male came back to the kill, chased off the female, and took his prize. While he was feeding, she repeatedly tried to mate with him, but he took her advances as an attempt to steal his quarry, and met her with enough aggression to keep her at bay.

Leopard catching nyala

Leopard catching nyala

Leopard catching nyala

Leopard killing nyala

Male leopard steals back his kill