How Hyenas Outsmart Lions: The Surprising Intelligence I Witnessed on a Moonlit Night
The first time I saw hyenas outwit lions, it completely changed how I view these misunderstood creatures. On a moonlit night in the African savanna, I watched a clever game unfold — one that proved hyenas aren’t just scavengers; they’re sharp, strategic survivors.
It was late, the kind of night when the air cools and the wild awakens in shadows. The distant roar of lions echoed across the plains, but nearby, a clan of hyenas was busy plotting something.
Unlike the brutal scenes you might expect, what I witnessed was a display of smarts and teamwork. The hyenas worked together, not just waiting for leftovers but actively influencing the lions’ behaviour. It was a lesson in survival of the ‘most adapted’.
The Strategic Brilliance That Left Lions Defeated
Lions may be the kings of the jungle, but hyenas have brains to match. These animals use cunning tactics to outmaneuver lions, whether it’s stealing a meal or defending their territory.
Team Coordination: Hyenas communicate constantly, coordinating their moves with growls, whoops, and body language. I saw them surround a lion pride to distract while others scavenged nearby.
Patience and Persistence: They don’t rush in blindly. Hyenas often wait for the right moment — when lions are tired or distracted — to swoop in and snatch a kill.
Divide and Conquer: In one incredible moment, a few hyenas drew the lions’ attention to one side, while others slipped in from behind. It was a strategy that felt almost human.
Why Hyenas Are Nature’s Criminal Masterminds
After that revelation, I spent quite some time observing hyena behavior across East Africa. These animals aren’t just smart – they’re strategic geniuses operating with complex social structures that rival primate societies.
Their clans can include up to 80 individuals, all following a strict matriarchal hierarchy where females outrank all males. I’ve watched clan leaders make tactical decisions that suggest they understand cause and effect, plan several steps ahead, and even hold grudges against rival clans.
In Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater, hyenas are known to use their superior night vision and hearing to track prey that lions often miss. They patiently wait for lions to make kills during daylight, only to reclaim the spoils after dark. With their overwhelming numbers and enhanced abilities for nocturnal hunting, hyenas are able to outmaneuver lions and take control of the kill when night falls.
The Real Reason Lions Hate Hyenas
For years, hyenas have been unfairly labelled as sneaky scavengers. But their intelligence and social skills are something to admire. Watching them challenge lions overturned the typical story and made me respect the hyenas’ place in the ecosystem.
These animals aren’t just surviving—they’re thriving by adapting and thinking ahead. Lions may be stronger and have the “king of the jungle” reputation, but hyenas win through superior teamwork and strategic thinking.
The hyena’s brain-to-body weight ratio rivals that of some primates, and they can solve complex puzzles.
Communication Skills That Put Humans to Shame
Hyenas have one of the most complex communication systems in the animal kingdom. Their famous “laugh” is far from random noise; it’s a sophisticated language that conveys important details about an individual’s age, social status, and emotional state.
Researchers studying hyena vocalizations have decoded their meanings as follows:
Whoops – Used for long-distance communication to rally clan members.
Laughing/giggling – Indicates social ranking negotiations and submission.
Grunts – Heard during close-range coordination, typically in hunts or territorial disputes.
Growls and screams – Serve as aggressive warnings and dominance assertions.
I watched one matriarch coordinate a hunt using only subtle vocalizations. Despite the clan spreading across nearly a kilometre, they moved in perfect synchronization, surrounding a herd of wildebeest with breathtaking precision.
The Matriarchal Society That Rules the Savanna
Female hyenas are typically 10% larger than males and completely dominate clan hierarchies. Even the lowest-ranking female outranks the highest-ranking male.
Daughters inherit their mother’s social rank, creating dynasties that can last generations. The alpha female controls access to food, mating opportunities, and territory. I watched one matriarch lead her clan of 60 individuals across territorial boundaries, and rival clans simply moved aside.
These queens make complex decisions about when to hunt, when to scavenge, and when to engage in territorial disputes. They’re running what essentially amounts to a wildlife corporation with multiple departments and strategic planning.
What I Wish I’d Known Before My First Hyena Encounter
If you’re planning African safaris and want to observe these remarkable animals, here’s insider advice from two decades of experience:
Night drives are essential – Hyenas are most active after dark when their intelligence truly shines.
Look for recent lion kills – The real drama happens when hyenas arrive to “negotiate”.
Listen for vocalizations – Hyena calls often indicate exciting interactions about to happen.
Bring powerful binoculars – Much of their strategic behavior happens at distances too far for naked-eye observation.
Be patient – Their most impressive displays of intelligence require time to unfold.
The best hyena observations happen during territorial disputes or large kills when multiple clans converge. These events showcase their complex social dynamics and strategic thinking.
What This Means for Us
Have you witnessed hyenas displaying their incredible intelligence during your African adventures? Share your stories in the comments below – I’d love to hear about your encounters with these misunderstood masterminds! Remember, there’s always more to learn about Africa’s incredible wildlife.
And make sure to follow me on my socials for more updates.
Who am I? Well, the least you can say is that I am quite crazy about Africa, its nature, its climate, its culture, and more.
As a young woman in my twenties, I had already traveled to several African countries by traveling along in an overlander on my own and mostly camping ( or glamping ) and just fell in love with the diversity of it all.
So much, so that at the age of 26, I went back to university to study biology, which, unfortunately, I couldn’t finish because of health reasons (yes, I got sick from a tropical disease, oh cynicism). But this did not stop my dream of traveling back to Africa several times, and I still do.
My dream was back then to leave Europe and go study animal behavior, especially the elephants (sure, that’s every girl’s dream haha), but I am also very much intrigued by hyenas and other “ugly African animals“.
So, I “kind of” have a little bit of a scientific approach to my articles, when I write about African birds, for example. And most of all: the passion.
But life goes on, you move from one side of the country to the other, you get sick again and top it off with lower back problems, and before you know it, you are over 50 hahaha!
Now, I still travel to Africa, but take it a bit “easier” than the good old camping days, and stay in comfortable, yet affordable accommodations, together with my husband Wouter.
These are some of the countries I have traveled to: Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Tunisia, and a little bit of Lesotho LOL .
While clearly not being African territory, but Spanish, I also visited Gran Canaria and Tenerife, and location-wise, I consider them “African”, because of their climate and nature, sue me :-p
The last trip I took was to South Africa in the year 2023, and it sure got the fevers for Africa back! From the Barberton mountains to the Drakensberg and the Southcoast, one month wasn’t enough at all to see the whole country, so we’ll be back! At ease and with a little bit more luxury than in my younger days haha!
