Gretchen Ho shares tense encounter with hyena during South African safari

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July 8, 2026 | 3:26pm

MANILA, Philippines — Television host Gretchen Ho gave her followers a glimpse of a nerve-racking wildlife encounter after sharing a video of a spotted hyena approaching her group during a safari in South Africa's Timbavati Game Reserve.

In her social media post, Gretchen recounted that the close encounter happened late in the afternoon while their group was enjoying sundowner drinks. The spotted hyena cautiously approached the area, prompting the group to remain alert while following the instructions of their safari guide.

"Spotted Hyenas are known for having powerful jaws and chomping down on their prey in a feeding frenzy. They can crush and digest bones, as opposed to lions that eat internal organs and muscle tissue, leaving bones behind for scavengers like Hyenas," she wrote.

Gretchen said she immediately positioned herself near their safari vehicle, ready to climb aboard if necessary, while continuing to film the encounter on her phone.

Their guide, identified as Brett, reassured the group that the hyena appeared to be more interested in their cooler filled with food than in the people themselves. He also remained stationed near the front of the vehicle with his rifle as a precaution.

"The lone Spotted Hyena was studying us carefully, trying to smell and look for signs of vulnerability. But our tracker Oscar looked the Hyena in the eye, as he stood tall. And slowly, the Hyena walked away," she said.

Gretchen added that while hyenas are intelligent hunters and scavengers, Brett explained that the animal was unlikely to confront a group of eight adults. However, he noted that the presence of a young child could have changed the situation, underscoring why game drives and open bush walks typically have minimum age requirements.

Reflecting on the experience, Gretchen emphasized one important lesson she took away from the encounter: remain calm and never run when faced with wildlife in the bush.

She also pointed out that the latter part of the video showed a hyena trailing a pack of African wild dogs, illustrating the scavenger's strategy of taking advantage of the dogs' successful hunts.

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