National Geographic Eternal Enemies: Lions and Hyenas Page #2

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this ritual is centered around the developed

mock penis to signal their dominance.

The ceremony involves sniffing

and licking the genitals.

They mark the area where the lions were

by leaving a scent on the grass as a signpost.

Hyena cubs are like miniature adults

displaying the same behaviour patterns

as their parents.

When the lions appeared

all the cubs bundled into the same den.

The matriarch's female cub,

who we now call the Princess,

finds herself in hostile territory

fighting for her life.

When the matriach returns

the brazen cubs are scent

scurrying to their own dens.

The Princess is safe.

We gave the older, larger male

the African name Mondayvoo,

the younger, lighter one is Untwydumala:

"He Who Greets With Fire".

Cubs dig away inside the dens

working them into secret chambers

that are inaccessible even to adult hyenas.

But even down here they have enemies

and competition among the cubs

can play itself out in the most cruelsome way.

The Princess has killed her sister.

As soon as they can,

hyena cubs will try to kill each other.

From the moment of birth,

the first born or more dominant

has an inherent, aggressive drive

to kill its nearest competitor.

It is genetic selection.

Hyenas are the only mammals

known to carry out this kind of fratricide.

Mothers usually don't intervene.

The Princess is now the probable

future matriarch of her clan.

master of the night wait and watch in the darkness

inspecting off the different conners of their 40 square miles territory

or joining to hunt occasionally when away from femals

the hyenas know each of these males by sight

and stay away

In the hills young Matsumi knows

that it's time to move her cubs.

The air around the birthplace

is saturated with the unmistakeable scent

of vulnerable new life.

Without the protection of a den

like hyenas have

the cubs must frequently be removed.

It is their first move.

Matsumi gently carries them

down to another site.

Soon she will introduce them to the pride.

As we watch, she drops

the cubs off one by one

in a shady spot she has selected

and returns for the next.

The new site is badly chosen.

An Egyptian cobra occupies

a hole under the same bushes.

The cobra is about to shed its skin.

A most dangerous time

because even the skin on its eyes

peels off blurring its vision.

The snake strikes ahead

attacking both the lioness and the cubs.

The cobra's venom has an immediate effect

on Matsumi's nervous system.

As we followed her out into the open

she deteriorated rapidly.

Behind us the cubs,

only a few weeks old, are already dead.

With her sight impaired

she can only sniff at the bodies.

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