Man attacked by hyenas while sleeping at bachelor party survived because of these two actions
A man who was attacked by hyenas while he was sleeping at a bachelor party has revealed what saved his life.
Nicolas Hohls, 27, was asleep in his tent at Cape Vidal Nature Reserve in St. Lucia, South Africa, when two hyenas entered the camp.
Hohls was at the nature reserve with his dad and some friends as part of a bachelor party.
After a long day of fishing, the group had some food and drinks before going to sleep in their tents at around 1am.
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But half an hour later and they had some unexpected visitors.
Two hyenas entered Hohls' tent through a six-inch gap that he'd left unzipped.
In utter shock, Hohls woke up to find one hyena had its jaws clamped around his cheek, while the other had his ankle grasped between its teeth.
"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 then went on to explain that he instantly took action with two responses - that ultimately saved his life.
"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 fight lasted around 60 seconds, with Hohls adding that after hearing his screams, his dad immediately took action, driving him straight to 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.
"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 had around 30 stitches in his head, hand and cheek and is suffering from deep wounds in 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."
Meanwhile, Hohls' dad Colin, told 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 Nick 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."
A spokesman for Ezemvelo KZN Wild Life who manage Cape Vidal told DailyMail.com: "We are going to catch the hyenas and work out the best way to proceed with them but in the mean time 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 reached out for comment.
Lucy Devine