Wildlife biologists tracking lions and spotted hyenas in Southern Africa have found evidence that challenges a long-held belief about how the two predators interact. Instead of hyenas mainly following lions to find leftover food, the study found that male lions often actively move towards spotted hyenas, while the hyenas try to get away. The study, published in the open-access journal Frontiers in Ethology on September 9, 2026, used thousands of telemetry records to track the movements of the two species in real time. Researchers fitted high-precision GPS collars to 17 African lions (Panthera leo) and 14 spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) living in protected wilderness areas. Researchers had initially expected hyena groups to regularly follow lions, either to take advantage of their kills or to scavenge food left behind. The tracking data showed a different pattern. Male lions often changed direction and moved towards nearby hyenas, while hyenas changed their routes or moved away to avoid potentially dangerous encounters.
Tracking data reveals unexpected movement patterns
The international research team used location data collected at regular intervals across several seasons to study the movements of the predators. The large dataset allowed researchers to examine how lions and hyenas responded when they came close to one another, including at night and in areas that were difficult for researchers to observe directly. When male lions came close to spotted hyenas, their GPS tracks often showed a clear change in direction towards the hyenas. This indicated that the lions were not simply encountering their competitors by chance. Instead, they appeared to be actively moving towards them. The behaviour could help lions eliminate competitors or take over kills that hyenas had already secured. Lions and spotted hyenas compete for many of the same prey animals, making encounters between the two species potentially costly for both sides. The hyenas showed the opposite response. Their movement paths generally turned away when lions approached. They appeared to maintain a distance from male lions and changed direction or increased their speed when the predators came too close. “We expected hyenas to track lions to exploit their kills, but the GPS data clearly showed lions taking the initiative,” noted the research team in their paper published in Frontiers in Ethology. “Male lions actively moved towards hyena locations, forcing hyenas to take evasive action to avoid dangerous confrontations.” The researchers also found differences between male and female lions. Male lions were more likely to move towards hyenas, while lionesses showed more cautious movement. This was particularly noticeable when females were caring for dependent cubs or moving without the protection of a male coalition.
The findings challenge the usual predator hierarchy
The results question a common picture of the relationship between lions and spotted hyenas. Spotted hyenas are skilled hunters and can kill large prey without relying on lions. Yet they are often portrayed as scavengers that follow big cats and steal their food. The relationship is more complicated. Lions can also take advantage of kills made by hyenas, particularly because adult male lions have a major physical advantage over individual female hyenas. Male lions can weigh up to twice as much as adult female hyenas. A single male can therefore drive several hyenas away from a carcass or seriously injure one during a confrontation. For hyenas, avoiding a direct fight can be the safer option unless enough members of the clan are present to challenge the lion. The tracking results suggest that this risk shapes where and how hyenas move when lions are nearby. The study therefore points to spatial avoidance as an important survival strategy for spotted hyenas living alongside lions. Hyenas can benefit from searching for food in areas used by lions, but they also have to manage the risk of coming too close to a much stronger predator.
GPS collars offer a clearer view of predator behaviour
Much of what scientists previously knew about interactions between lions and hyenas came from observations made during research drives. Those observations can be limited because predators are not always active during daylight hours, while thick vegetation can prevent researchers from seeing encounters. GPS tracking provided a different view. The collars used in the study recorded the animals’ locations at regular intervals, allowing researchers to follow their movements across day and night. The technology also made it possible to track animals through areas that researchers could not easily reach. By comparing the movements of lions and hyenas at the same time, scientists could see how one species responded when the other approached. The resulting data offered a more detailed picture of predator interactions than isolated sightings could provide. The research published in Frontiers in Ethology shows how multi-species tracking can help answer questions that have remained difficult to study through traditional field observations.
Why the findings matter for wildlife reserves
Understanding how large predators respond to one another can also help conservation managers plan for wildlife populations in protected areas. Human development has reduced and fragmented many natural habitats, leaving some predator populations increasingly concentrated inside protected reserves. In fenced reserves, lions, hyenas and other large carnivores may have less space to avoid one another or follow natural movement patterns. Knowing how predators respond when they share the same territory can help managers understand where different species are likely to concentrate and how their movements may affect prey populations. The researchers’ findings suggest that the relationship between lions and hyenas cannot be described simply as hunters and scavengers. Their movements show a more active contest between two competing predators, with male lions often taking the initiative and spotted hyenas adjusting their behaviour to stay out of danger.
