The HYENA'S Heist

The hyenas stole a word out of my vocabulary, and now I’m struggling to get it back.

It was our last day on safari; we were on our way to the airport to board a small plane that would fly us back to Arusha, when we suddenly came upon a pack of hyenas running around in a frenzy just off the side of the road. We soon learned the source of excitement – a mating ritual was underway.

The male had mounted his partner and was busily trying to accomplish his task, the female patient beneath him… while all around the other animals, perhaps ten to fifteen in number, maybe even more, were frantically squealing and “laughing”, dipping in to nip the flanks of the mating pair and then dashing back out to circle around and attack again. Truly it was amazing that the male was able to finish at all, so many and persistent were the physical attacks and distractions surrounding him, the air loud with calls of “woo-hoo” and “ha ha ha” as if in raucous celebration of what was taking place. We watched spellbound and marveled at the duration of the event, which went on for an amazingly long time.

Later research revealed that mating is not an easy task for these animals due to the penile-like structure on the female, which is “sucked in” much like a sleeve pulling in on itself during mating to allow for the entrance of the male organ.  Once completed, the pair usually stays locked together for a number of minutes; the absence of such an indicator that the copulation attempt was not successfully accomplished.

Too much information? My coworkers certainly thought so when I told them later of the wonder of witnessing the event, a rare occurrence, since mating usually takes place at night with few other animals around. “You stayed and watched?” one lady asked in obvious horror. I was equally incredulous at the thought of not witnessing all the facets of animal life on the savanna that we were privileged to see!

In retrospect I should probably have left some details to the imagination... including the bit out about the hyenas calling out “woo-hoo” in the excitement of the moment, but it struck me forcibly at the time, since it is the exact word I used to use constantly in my own celebrations of life, be it receiving a check in the mail, good news from the doctor, or even something as little as being sent on a break at work. A simple expression of joy, it burst from my lips on its own accord, without my giving it any conscious thought. Upon my return from Africa, however, such exclamations have been met with sideways glances from my coworkers and disapproving shakes of the head before resultant hyena-like bursts of laughter, as we all remember where I heard that word last, and in what context! No matter; I won’t let any haters take my hyena-joy away!

 

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”

(Proverbs 17:22 KJV)