Shandor: Themba is a well-known hyena
in the film industry.
Today we’re going to be seeing
if she still has what it takes to
work in Hollywood.
The spotted hyena has a three and a half
ton per square inch jaw pressure.
It’s so much stronger than a lions,
so one bite from her is not just going to be,
you know, skin graze.
It’s going to take my arm off.
No.
So what we’re doing,
this is one of our exercise areas.
We’re going to be bringing
Themba out into this area.
Today we’re going to be working with Themba,
also known as ‘Stinky’ here on the park.
Themba is a well-known hyena
in the film industry.
She has been in lots of movies,
adverts, nature documentaries.
We’re going to be taking Stinky out,
it’s been a while since she
worked on her last movie.
We’re basically going to be seeing
if she still has what it takes to
work in Hollywood.
We just need to secure the area
before we actually bring her in here.
We just have to make sure there’s no gaps,
no holes, just make sure that there is
no way that she’s able to get out of.
Hyenas are very curious,
and trust me when I say that
if there is a gap,
the hyenas will 100% find it.
Today we’re going to be running
through a few of the motions
that’s what we’ve been requested to see
if the hyena will be able to do
by the film company.
We’re going to see if she’ll
head from point A to point B,
do some jumping.
To basically look like, you know,
she’s going to
essentially in the movie attack someone.
They get the worst rap
in the animal kingdom.
When people see hyenas,
they always think scavengers.
These guys are apex hunters.
What a lot of people don’t realize,
in a lot of places in Africa,
hyena population will outnumber
the lion population.
They are absolutely amazing at hunting.
Lions are often the scavengers
in those areas.
So we checked the fences,
everything looks okay for now.
So what we’re going to do is
we’re going to head over,
let’s go fetch Stinky.
I’m actually the only trainer on the park
that works with Themba.
Spotted hyenas are quite different
to a lot of other animals, like the lions,
where we can have multiple trainers
working with them.
These guys,
they tend to be one person animals.
Stinky is nearly 10 years old,
and I’ve been there pretty much from day one.
This is now relationship
that has taken years
and years to develop.
That is how we have the level of trust
that we do with each other.
We’re not sure what mood she's
going to be in,
if she is going to be cooperating today.
Ready to see what you’ve got.
Hi,
you ready,
you ready.
Now we’re taking them out
of an environment that there used to,
and putting them in
quite an odd situation for them.
Were we have lots of people around,
lots of cameras.
These guys are predators,
they are wild animals.
It’s always incredibly dangerous.
You ready?
Okay,
one,
two,
three.
Hyenas,
even when they’re playing,
they can do a lot of damage.
More than some of the other animals,
simply because
the bite is so much stronger.
These guys do get nervous quite quickly,
and they do get scared
by any slight movements.
So they might get a fright and you know,
her immediate response may be a bite.
Let’s go.
Come here,
Here
Here.
Oops.
The spotted hyena has a three and a half
ton per square inch jaw pressure.
It’s so much stronger than a lions.
So one bite from her is not going to be,
you know, skin graze.
It’s going to take my arm off.
Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go.
Hey,
here.
Well done, good girl.
Not that.
Basically what we’re doing
with the feed stick now,
is getting her do this jumping motion.
So
what we do is
we format in different segments,
and we create a sequence.
So what we do,
is we’ll get her to jump like this,
in front of the camera.
So we’ll have a scene with her running,
making it look like she’s chasing something.
And then we’ll have her jump
in front of the camera like that,
so you get that attack scene
that they’re looking for.
I have the meat on the feed stick.
So it’s just a plastic stick.
I mean she can easily break it with her teeth.
So
the reason I’m not feeding her
from my hand, is she’ll happily
take my fingers
clean off.
Oh good girl.
She’s such a emotional character,
like she’ll show you when she’s not happy.
She’ll tell you,
you know when she doesn’t want to do it.
Hey.
No,
no
Themba’s personality is actually
something that’s so unique.
She is so so clever,
I can’t even
describe in words how clever
she actually is.
She can problem solve
really difficult things.
She can open gate latches.
So what she’s doing now,
is she’s found my feed stick in the tree.
So she’s telling me she wants some,
some treats.
Hey.
It was pretty warm today,
so while we’re working
we’re just actually going to cool her down.
Hey.
You smell so bad,
why we call you stinky.
Now,
we have the slightly more
difficult shot to get.
And that is,
getting her to chase the lure.
Wonder if like my figure eight
knot is like super knot secure.
So just don’t look back,
make sure you just keep running.
Alright.
Go.
That was a very half-hearted run.
Could I get a bottle of...
Sorry.
The other water was in here right?
Alright she’s coming,
okay go.
That was like the most unenthusiastic
run I have ever seen.
Not from you, from her.
It’s a little over 30 degrees outside.
Those first two runs,
she did cooperate,
she did follow the lure.
But because it’s so hot,
she is just a little bit lazy
and a little bit tired.
And all she wants to do right now
is just lay in the cool shade.
If we’re working on set
and she is done,
she doesn’t want to do it anymore.
She goes and stand by the door,
she wants to get back in the trailer
and she’ll tell you if she wants a break.
She’ll tell you when she you know,
wants a water break
or whatever it may be.
That’s what makes her so special.
Should we go have a little swim?
I think what we’ll do now,
is actually take her back to the enclosure.
Okay, what do you think about a little swim?
What?
Can you just fly up to the Cheetah walk
area with the backey,
she popped the tire.
So we’re just waiting for a backup vehicle
to get here.
But that just shows you
it’s a three and a half ton
per square inch jaw pressure.
It’s really, really strong,
so you know,
you have to be careful
these guys are so so sneaky.
Today she popped a tire without
anyone noticing.
Naddine’s come to our rescue
we’re just going to unhook the trailer,
and get it hooked on the back of
this car
and get her back down to the enclosure.
We need...
I think maybe if you can just maybe...
yeah.
She’s mischievous,
but you can’t get angry at her.
Because she has this big baby face,
and she, she kind of
gives you that look and you’re like,
you know,
you,
you just can’t get angry at that face.
Hey,
love you.
We’re back in the enclosure now.
Straight to the water,
straight to cool off.
She,
like today,
will show you when
she is at her happiest.
So much fun.
Times when we’re playing in the water,
you know,
you can actually see the excitement
on her face.
Today has been a great day.
It’s been a while since we last had
Thember on a film set,
and,
this is what
makes me so proud,
is we’ve put in so much work
over the years.
To create that kind of attack scene,
she did so so well
and I’m really happy
with how today turned out.
Coming to work
and getting to see her face,
and just getting to spend time with her,
it makes everything so much better.
She’s really helped me get through
some really really tough patches,
and,
I’m forever thankful for that.
And the only way I can kind of repay that
is just,
you know,
giving her the best life she possibly can have.