My „leopard“ skull

Before someone chokes from screaming - Yes I know that this is not a leopard skull. It’s the skull of a spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) and comes from Africa. There’s a funny and a sad story at the same time behind that skull. But why did I say “leopard skull” when I even know that it isn’t one? You will find the whole story and a lot of pictures under the cut.

It began with an advertisement I spotted in a hunters magazine. Someone broke their skull collection and next of some wolf and bear skulls was also a leopard skull. A must-have for me! After a pretty scrawly letter and a phone call later I got it – what a bargain.
I still was in the bed when my boyfriend came along with the package. I opened it immediately but there was no leopard skull - I got a hyena skull instead!

How I knew that it was hyena skull? Well, the shape of a cat skull is different - and dude, seriously, no other animal has such big molar teeth!

The whole skull is very heavy because of these big teeth. I don’t ever wanna get bitten by a hyena, oh no!

On the top of the skull is a bullet hole. The previous owner told me, that the hyena came too close to a farm and fell into a trap. So the farmer killed the hyena with one single shot. Fortunately hyenas aren’t endangered animals.

Too bad we didn’t see any hyenas on our Africa trip. That’s one good reason to go to Africa again! But I heard one laughing in the night. It was very loud so it was in the proximity of our lodge. That was cool!

After the first joy storm I mailed the seller, an old hunter, about his mistake. He was inconsolable about that mistake, but I wasn’t angry. Far from it! To own such a skull was one of my wishes anyway. But the seller, who had also cancer, made aments and sent another skull! So I got two skulls for one! I will write about the other skull later. Man, that old sick hunter was so generous. Unfortunately he died a few months later. That’s something I’m still sad about. I talked with his wife as well and she was such a friendly lady. I hope she has a good time now. I’m still thankfully for these two skulls.