Hyena Encounter – High on Life with the Hyenas

Hey reader, I’m Hugo, the Marketing Intern at Sydney Zoo! I’m on a mission to review all the amazing animal encounters available at the zoo and provide insight into what makes each experience so special and unique. Join me on my journey as I meet a range of animals, large and small, and offer an insider view of the encounters at Sydney Zoo.

For many years, hyenas have been cast as the villains of the African savannah, portrayed as scavengers with an unsettling laugh in movies and documentaries. I never questioned these stereotypes, however after spending an hour with the close-knit family clan of seven hyenas at Sydney Zoo, I quickly realised how inaccurate they were.

Our encounter guide, Sam, ran us through an important safety briefing before we entered the habitat. As we approached, twin sisters Milele and Nkosi came over to investigate us, they seemed highly inquisitive and intersted in new people. It was clear Sam had a genuine passion for the animals and had formed strong bonds with each family member. The hyenas responded to their names and followed her directions, demonstrating the trust built through positive reinforcement training. While highly food motivated, Sam explained they are also incredibly affectionate towards one another and their keepers.

As I fed the hyenas, I couldn’t help noticing their dog-like features, so I was surprised to learn they are more closely related to meerkats and mongooses. Throughout the encounter, Milele and Nkosi never competed for food, which Sam explained was because they share the same social rank and feed cooperatively. The clan follows a matriarchal structure, which was easy to recognise, as Mother Etana is noticeably larger and more muscular than Father Mahali.

By the end of the encounter, I realised just how misunderstood hyenas are. They are highly intelligent, social animals with complex family dynamics and strong relationships. Watching the clan interact with each other and their keepers provided me with a new insight into their behaviour and challenged many of my previous thoughts about them. If you’re looking for an encounter that goes beyond simply feeding an animal, this experience provides a rare opportunity to connect with one of Africa’s most unfairly judged species and leave with a completely new perspective.

To book a Hyena Encounter or for more information, please click here:  Hyena Encounter