Wednesday, May 3, 2023

Hyenas, Warthogs, and Porcupines Are Unlikely Roommates

Predator and prey only live together in Disney movies and biblical prophesies, right?
Also, in real life at times. Researchers studying five hyena dens at a nature preserve in Kenya documented two dens that had three species living in them: hyenas, warthogs, and porcupines! Camera traps recorded the comings and goings of the residents, often within minutes of each other. The hyenas in those two dens did not eat porcupines and warthogs, although other hyenas in the same area did.  
Maybe it's the housing crisis that causes very different kinds of creatures to share dens, as anyone who must endure a bad roommate will tell you. During the dry season, digging dens out of the hard soil is more difficult, so it might be a matter of accepting housemates rather than doing without a den. The scientists behind the study don't know the exact reason for the housing arrangement. But when the rainy season began, all the animals who were cohabiting went their separate ways. 
Hakuna matata.

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The Drift

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