A man has shared the harrowing experience of being attacked by hyenas while asleep during a bachelor party, and how he managed to save his own life.
Nicolas Hohls, 27, was camping at Cape Vidal Nature Reserve in St. Lucia, South Africa, with his father and friends for a bachelor party getaway.
After a day filled with fishing, the group enjoyed their meal and drinks before heading to bed in their tents at approximately 1am.
Within thirty minutes, their camp had unexpected visitors.
Hohls’ tent, inadvertently left with a six-inch opening, became the entrance for two hyenas.
Startled from his sleep, Hohls found himself with one hyena biting his cheek and the other clamping down on his ankle.
“One went for my leg and the other for my face and head. I fought them off by ripping my face and ankle free, then attacking the eyes of one and forcing my hand down the throat of the other,” Hohls told PEOPLE.
“I had been asleep… when I realized what was happening, it was pure instinct. I knew I had to fight to survive.”
Hohls described his immediate fight-or-flight reaction, which was vital for his survival.
“I reacted immediately. I ripped myself free and went straight for their weak points — the eyes and throat. It was all instinct and adrenaline,” he said.
The struggle continued for about a minute before Hohls’ father, alerted by his son’s screams, rushed to his aid and transported him to the hospital.
“My dad jumped into action immediately. He found me in a pool of blood in my tent, put me in the car, and drove me straight to Ballito hospital,” he added.
Reflecting on the incident, Hohls remarked, “I’ve camped at Vidal before without problems. That night I left a small gap for ventilation. If the hyenas wanted to get in, they would have found a way regardless, and that’s exactly what happened.”
Hohls received around 30 stitches on his head, hand, and cheek, with significant injuries to his ankle and thigh.
“I’m doing a lot better… The doctors are happy with my progress, and there’s been no sign of infection,” he explained.
“For now, it’s about rest and allowing my body to heal properly.”
Nicolas’ father, Colin, recounted to DailyMail.com: “I heard Nic go to bed then he suddenly started screaming clearly in agony and a hyena had grabbed his left leg and was pulling him out of the tent.”
“A second hyena grabbed him by his head so Nic 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.”
“Nic said they both backed off in shock and then they heard me coming and must have seen the torch and disappeared and when I got there. I never even saw them.”
“It was all over in less than a minute but when I saw Nicolas he was covered in blood and I could hardly recognise him and there was a thick pool of his blood on the floor.”
An Ezemvelo KZN Wild Life spokesperson, responsible for managing Cape Vidal, informed DailyMail.com: “We are going to catch the hyenas and work out the best way to proceed with them but in the meantime we ask all campers to make sure their tents are zipped up.”
“In the incident at the weekend hyenas attacked a visitor after they had left their tent open following a party and in the previous attack a man nose was badly bitten.”
“It is a wildlife park and we advise all our guests to be very mindful of that.”
UNILAD has also sought further commentary on the matter.