NEXT UP:
#1 seed Harar hyena
vs
#8 seed Bristol fox!
#2018MMM
Less than two days ago, the hyena from the walled eastern Ethiopian city of Harar devoured the Belo Horizonte marmoset, & the Bristol fox scare off a raccoon from some choice eggshells. Now these carnivores will face each other! #2018MMM
The Harar hyena & Bristol fox diverged around 54 mya, near the beginning of the Eocene (timetree.org). The Earth was warming, the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere doubled, & Antarctica was nearly tropical 🌴 (researchgate.net/publication/23…). #2018MMM
Both the hyena and the fox are predators that also scavenge. And they both can make pretty creepy noises (see: ).
However, there are many differences between our fighters. #2018MMM
Our female hyena is 48kg (218 stoats), more than 3x heavier than our 14kg (63 stoats) male fox. As opposed to foxes, females are actually the larger of the sexes in hyenas! #2018MMM #StoatsAsMeasurement
Another difference between the two is that, while the rabies virus is a fox killer, infected hyenas very rarely die from the virus (or even show symptoms). In the Serengeti, up to 37% of hyenas could be exposed to rabies. researchgate.net/publication/11… #2018MMM
We come upon our female hyena patrolling Harar's streets as night falls. Unbeknownst to her, it is Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan! During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset; Eid al-Fitr is the breaking of that fast. #2018MMM
People celebrate Eid al-Fitr with lots of food, music, and family! Cows have been slaughtered for the feasts, and so there's plenty to scavenge.
Our hyena is happy.
Our fox is confused. #2018MMM
He doesn't know how he got to these strange streets, but he figures he made a wrong turn on Nibletts Hill. Meanwhile, he still has kids to feed. He comes upon a promising cow femur that has plenty of meat still on the bone. #2018MMM
But our Harar hyena has spied that tasty bone and wants it all for herself.
Like Kellog, Swiss.
Or Killmonger, the throne of Wakanda. #2018MMM
The fox crouches close to the ground, wriggling, in classic submissive fox posture. #2018MMM
A submissive fox doesn't really look like a submissive hyena, but she gets the gist. However, she wants to make sure the fox knows where he is in the hierarchy on these streets. #2018MMM
She grabs him by the scruff and gives him a few good hearty shakes.
Aaaaaaannnnnd breaks his neck.
She drops his still twitching body & runs off with her prize, her tail high. #2018MMM
HARAR HYENA KILLS BRISTOL FOX!!!!!! #2018MMM
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