HOEDSPRUIT: Crocuta salutes soldiers with a laugh
A trial camera was set at the baiting site to monitor the activities of the hyena.
Members of the Environmental Section of Air Force Base Hoedspruit (AFB) under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Phillip Oosthuizen, saved a male spotted hyena named Crocuta – Crocuta, which was found with a snare around the neck on the aerodrome of AFB Hoedspruit on July 28.
Oosthuizen strongly condemned and criticised those behind the setting of snares for bush meat purposes to stop their cruel and irresponsible habit.
He stated that after finding the hyena with a snare, the animal was calm but when attempts were made to catch the animal, it ran away with a snare around his neck.
“In an attempt to find ways to help the hyena, the matter was then reported to Lyle Wiggens who works at the Department of Economic Development Environment and Tourism in Limpopo. The idea was for Wiggens to come up with a solution to capture the animal for the removal of the snare,” stated Oosthuizen.
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On contrary, additional support was then offered by the ‘Aardvark Wildlife Veterinarian’ Dr I van Wyk, for his assistant.
After spending some weeks another attempts was then made to try to capture the hyena.
A trial camera was set at the baiting site to monitor the activities of the hyena.
As time goes on the wound around its neck worsen significantly and his condition deteriorates to such a state that euthanisation had to be considered.
Oosthuizen and his dedicated team however persist with baiting and continuously had to alter strategies whilst various other visitors to the bait sight had to be discouraged in order to capture the injured hyena that at this stage suffered a really bad wound and feeling discomfort.
Interested scavengers visited the trap and bait sight including amongst others, a hyena female, leopard, civet, warthog and badgers.
After a month, on August 29, the injured hyena was eventually captured.
Dr van Wyk was very quick to respond and then darted the animal in the cage.
The snare was carefully removed and the wound was thoroughly treated.
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The wound was very deep and around the entire neck but fortunately no permanent damage incurred.
After he was released, he ran quickly into the bushes where he recovered from the anesthetics.
Since then, the hyena was supplemented for a period of 2 weeks to ensure a rapid recovery and he is now fully recovering and is in a healthy condition.
Oosthuizen wish to pay gratitude to those involved in saving the life of Crocuta.
“Many thanks to all who support the Base as the animal would have died a slow and painful death, if not assisted on time. Thank you so very much,” Oosthuizen concluded.
