Exciting news! Although we hear hyenas almost every night from the Echo Lima Camp in West Gate Community Conservancy, it is always hard to see them and so far we’ve only managed to get quick glimpses at night. However, finally a few weeks ago we had 2 superb sightings of spotted hyena.
I was driving through the Conservation Area when we saw 5 cross the road in front of us. A few days later, we saw 7 spotted hyena in the same area! This is the first time that such a large spotted hyena grouping has been recorded in this area.
(Photo above taken by Steve Kendrot USDA)
Spotted hyenas in West Gate
Hyenas are rarely seen in both the reserves and in West Gate. Tracks are seen from time to time – mainly striped hyena tracks in Samburu and spotted hyena tracks in West Gate. They do cause a lot of conflict in West Gate and often raid bomas at night. We are currently gathering data on the conflict in West Gate between the various predators and livestock.
A few days after the hyena sighting, we were driving along when we came across this little predator…
Caracal feeding on dik dik
I have seen caracal twice before but rarely got a good look. This caracal had just killed a dik dik when we came across it and he proceeded to feed on the dik dik for close to an hour right in front of us. It was an amazing sighting and such a beautiful animal to watch.
This seems to be the month for my first proper sightings of these incredible predators; first the hyenas, followed by the wild dogs and then the caracal!