Hyenas are mysterious, aggressive creatures. Like most people, I never knew much about them. In fact, I’m pretty sure that I gleaned my entire working knowledge of their species from the animated hyena trio in The Lion King.
The little that I do know about hyenas never really made me warm to them as a species. They’re not dogs or cats; they’re actually closer to a large civet. They’re scavengers who live in packs, and are known from their cackling bark.
But none of that ever sent researcher Kevin Richardson packing. He’s been working with hyenas and with wild lions like these guys for more than 15 years, researching their pack behavior and instincts.
Despite a few injuries, he’s largely succeeded at establishing strong relationships with wild animals, by becoming part of their hierarchy. This video shows him interacting with a group of hyenas, with whom he’s developed strong relationships over the course of many years.
As he explains in the video, Richardson is accepted as part of the group because he makes the right gestures to the let the hyenas know that he is dominant. Just like this little girl training her Shiba, Richardson knows that animals won’t respect humans unless they know who’s boss!
That said, he still manages to go far past the comfort zone of many animal trainers and researchers. The hyenas don’t just seem to respect him—they really seem love him. They nip him affectionately, not hard enough to hurt, and are happy to flop on the ground and roll over for a belly rub!
Now, I’m totally reevaluating my opinion of these creatures. Does this blow your mind as much as it does mine? If so, please SHARE on Facebook to show the world Kevin Richardson’s amazing ability!
