Striped Hyena At Dawn Near Kuwalji, Zone 9

A striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) was photographed at first light near a waterhole in Zone 9 (Kuwalji) — a buffer-zone carnivore encounter that is more common here than in the crowded core territories.

Zone 9 is gypsy-only (no canter access) and sees very low vehicle traffic compared to zones 1–5. Striped hyenas are largely nocturnal but occasionally appear at dawn near carcass sites and waterholes. The zone's solitude and diverse scavenger community reward patient naturalists willing to trade tiger certainty for wilderness atmosphere.

Spotted: Zone 9 (Kuwalji) | Access: Gypsy only | Closed: Every Tuesday