When most people think of hyenas, they picture cowardly scavengers thatgang up on and steal from other animals that have recently made a kill. Actually, this stereotype is not totally true, especially for spotted hyenas, which kill up to 95 percent of the food they eat. Also, spotted hyenas have been known to ward offbigger animals like leopards and lions from prey they have killed themselves. Even though they will sometimes wander around in the early mornings, hyenas arenocturnal animals, which are the focus of one of the episodes in this month's National Geographic Channel's (NGC) Night Stalkers. NGC spares no expense with revolutionary technology, such as high-definition remote controlled thermal cameras which allow continuous viewing of a forest waterhole day and night. NGC's cameramen shoot thirsty animals coming to refresh themselves in the water while many predators stealthily stalk them. InNight Stalkers: Hyena, NGC's cameras capture these vicious creatures in their natural element. Innocent animals, such as tapir, deer, peccaries, and monkeys,cautiously approach the waterhole, hoping for refreshment. Out of nowhere, hyenas appear, but the small animals have no chance and end up as dinner for a pack of blood-thirsty killers. Night Stalkers is unique because the cameras penetrate the darkness and reveal what really goes on at night. While the hyenas are brutal, they also have aplayful side that is shown. Learn how hyenas, as well as leopards and crocodiles,interact in the heart of darkness this month with NGC's Night Stalkers.
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