Hyena Hell: Stag Do Reveller’s Terrifying Ordeal as Beasts Attack in South African Game Reserve
- Nicolas Hohls, 27, was dragged out of his tent by two hungry hyenas while asleep
- The farmer fought off the predators by jamming his thumb into one’s eye and pushing his hand down the other’s throat
- He suffered serious injuries, including over 70 stitches, in the 45-second battle for survival
Nicolas Hohls, a 27-year-old farmer, got the ultimate wake-up call when two hyenas attacked him in his tent at a South African game reserve. The terrifying ordeal occurred after a boozy night partying with friends during a stag do celebration.
The married reveller was fast asleep in his tent at the Cape Vidal Nature Reserve in St Lucia, KwaZulu-Natal Province, when the hyenas struck. Without warning, the beasts pounced, grabbing his leg and head in their powerful jaws. Nicolas was left screaming and fighting for his life in a desperate bid to survive.
In a heart-stopping display of bravery, Nicolas used his bare hands to defend himself against the snarling predators. He jammed his thumb into one hyena’s eye and pushed his hand down the other’s throat, successfully fending them off.
The harrowing 45-second battle left Nicolas with severe injuries, including lacerations on his face, scalp, leg, and hand that required over 70 stitches to repair. His screams alerted his father, Colin Hohls, who rushed to his son’s rescue, chasing the hyenas away with a torch.
Colin recalled the horrific scene, stating, “I heard Nic go to bed, then he suddenly started screaming in agony. A hyena had grabbed his left leg and was pulling him out of the tent. A second hyena grabbed him by his head, so Nick stuck his left hand into the first hyena’s mouth as deep as it would go and his right thumb in the other hyena’s eye.”
The father-son duo’s quick thinking and bravery saved Nicolas from a potentially fatal outcome. However, the incident serves as a chilling reminder of the dangers of camping in wildlife reserves, where predators like hyenas, leopards, and honey badgers roam freely at night.
The harrowing incident has left Nicolas shaken but grateful to be alive, and his story is a sobering warning to others who venture into the African wilderness.