During a safari outing, Charmaine Botha witnessed an extraordinary sight when a spotted hyena emerged from a small body of water carrying a large catfish in its jaws. The hyena walked calmly back into the bush with its unexpected catch, behaving as though this unusual meal were part of its regular routine. The surprising behaviour left observers astonished, as hyenas are not typically associated with fishing.
Although widely known as scavengers, spotted hyenas are highly skilled predators with a remarkable ability to adapt. They can hunt large mammals when working together in their clans, but they also seize unexpected opportunities whenever they arise. In rare cases, hyenas have been observed feeding on aquatic animals, especially during droughts when fish become trapped in shallow pools. This unusual catch highlighted the hyena’s opportunistic nature and its willingness to rely on any available food source.
Hyenas possess one of the most diverse diets in the animal kingdom, consuming everything from large herbivores to birds, insects, reptiles, and even fruit. Fish, however, remain an uncommon addition, which made this sighting particularly remarkable. The moment served as a reminder that nature is full of surprises and that even familiar predators can display new and inventive behaviours. The hyena’s resourcefulness underscored its ability to survive by adapting quickly to whatever the wilderness provides.
