Pecked

The Helmeted Guineafowl is widely distributed throughout southern Africa and was traditionally hunted for sport. These large, chicken-liked birds can easily be recognised by their relatively large size (53–58 cm), dark grey bodies with white speckles and by their featherless, helmet-like head, which is blue and red in colour. Males have a bigger helmet than the females. These birds also have short, rounded wings and tail feathers. The short beaks are accompanied by hanging wattles that surround the nostrils. Feet consist of three front toes and one hind toe.

Pecked

Skulking

The hyena is a shaggy, untidy and opportunistic carnivore with a distinctive, sloping back. It is a member of the dog family, weighing around 60 kg (males can be heavier) and standing at about 80 cm at the shoulder. The spotted hyena hunts and scavenges by night and is closely connected in African folklore with the supernatural world. Anyone who has heard the sound of hyenas in full cry around midnight would understand the animal’s association with the dark arts.

Skulking

Striking

The cheetah is characterised by a slender body, deep chest, spotted coat, a small rounded head, black tear-like streaks on the face, long thin legs and a long spotted tail. Its lightly built, slender form is in sharp contrast with the robust build of the big cats, making it more similar to the cougar.

Striking