Category: Bush Myths

When an ostrich senses danger, it either sprints off at up to 70 km/h — making it the fastest animal on two legs — or flattens itself to the ground to blend into the terrain.

So where’s the myth from? Its nest. Ostriches lay their eggs in a shallow hole in the ground, and several times a day they lower their heads to turn those eggs with their beak. From a distance, that looks exactly like a head disappearing into the sand.

Far from hiding, a cornered ostrich can deliver a kick powerful enough to kill a lion.

Pretty incredible, isn’t it?

MYTH: Hyenas are cowardly scavengers that steal lions’ kills.

FACT: It’s usually the other way around.

The spotted hyena is one of Africa’s most successful hunters. Clans chase down wildebeest, zebra and antelope themselves — in Kruger, studies show they kill as much as 90–95% of what they eat.

So where’s the myth from? Lions. Where the two overlap, lions often steal hyena kills — but because we’re watching the lions, we credit them with the meal and blame the hyena for scrounging.

Add one of the most powerful bites of any mammal, strong enough to crack bone, and clans led by dominant females, and the picture flips.

Cowardly scavenger? Try endurance-hunting matriarch of the savanna.

Pretty incredible, isn’t it?

MYTH: A giraffe has to raise its head slowly after drinking — otherwise it will faint.

FACT: Not at all!

A giraffe can lift its head rapidly from ground level despite having blood pressure of more than 200 mmHg — far higher than ours.

So how does it avoid passing out?

Its cardiovascular system has evolved some remarkable adaptations. A network of blood vessels called the carotid rete mirabile helps regulate blood pressure reaching the brain, while specialised veins and powerful vascular responses help control blood flow as the giraffe moves its head.

And those long legs? Their tight skin and connective tissue help prevent blood from pooling and fluid from leaking into the tissues.

In other words, the giraffe doesn’t need to take it slow. Evolution built it a pressure-control system instead.

Pretty incredible, isn’t it?