GPS collars revealed male lions follow hyenas, not the other way around

Wildlife biologists tracking lions and spotted hyenas in Southern Africa have found evidence that challenges a long-held belief about how the two predators interact. Instead of hyenas mainly following lions to find leftover food, the study found that male lions often actively move towards spotted hyenas, while the hyenas try to get away. The study, published in the open-access journal Frontiers in Ethology on September 9, 2026, used thousands of telemetry records to track the movements of the two species in real time. Researchers fitted high-precision GPS collars to 17 African lions (Panthera leo) and 14 spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) living in protected wilderness areas. Researchers had initially expected hyena groups to regularly follow lions, either to take advantage of their kills or to scavenge food left behind. The tracking data showed a different pattern.