Searching for hyenas

Two nights back a vehicle showed up at the
door a little after dark. Out jumps one of the
villagers that I've been working with. He says
that there is an opportunity to go out in the bush
and search for hyenas with the person in the
vehicle. Also, we would meet up with some fellow
countrymen from the States. So, he asked me if
I wanted to go.
Of course yes was the reply. As I was walking up
to the vehicle, out jumps Lisse (in picture). She's
a South African lady who is on a multi year research
project to find out the hyena population up in this
area of Namibia. Really to be precise, along the
Caprivi strip.
She is an incredibly energetic friendly person. The
definite type to be doing this research project. This
isn't her first project. She's also been involved in
researching lions for years. She basically researches
the predators.
So, off we go into the night down this path/road. After
about 2 kms we're in the bush and continue on for
another 10 km or more until we see some lights from
a British Land Rover. There were 5 students from a
college in Memphis Tennessee with their professor,
and a guide. They were traveling the regions of Namibia
looking for game animals.
So, we met up, made our introductions and then found
out that we were going deeper in the bush to see if
we could attract, dart and collar any hyenas for Lisse's
research project.
Lisse mentioned that there didn't seem to be many hyenas
in the area. Hyenas can move around some and she
mentioned that they could either travel 30 km a day or
during a night.
So, we drive, stop and setup the sound system that
broadcasts sound of hyenas to include a pack feeding.
This was transmitted for about 10 minutes, wait 20,
then move on another 5 km and try again.
The broadcast could be heard up to 3.5 km away or
in a 7 km diameter circle or a rough estimate of about
a little over 30 square kilometers.
It was cold and it is the part of the animal planet shows
that they don't show. The hours of bush time on the
cold nights before an encounter.
So, you can probably get the drift that there weren't
any hyena sightings.
For me, that's ok, it would have been really great but I
actually enjoyed the fact that I saw what really goes on
the majority of time.
It was a great experience, wouldn't have missed it for
the world and she'll be heading back in two weeks and
maybe we'll do it again.
So, for me the hyena sightings are still somewhere out
there in bush on some other night, if it's meant to be.