Thinking Wild Photo
Mammals · Southern Africa

Spotted Hyenas

Spotted hyenas deserve better than the caricature. What keeps drawing me to them is their social world: communication, cooperation, shifting relationships, and the constant awareness of other members of the clan. Even a single portrait feels connected to a much larger conversation.

They are capable, expressive carnivores with a complexity that becomes harder to dismiss the longer you watch.

Southern Africa10 photographs
Spotted hyena standing in tall dry grass and looking to the side.
Spotted hyena standing among dry grass with its face turned toward the camera.
Spotted hyena partly concealed by pale grass.
Black-and-white photograph of a spotted hyena crossing a bush road.
Spotted hyena standing amid golden grass and low vegetation.
Young spotted hyena sitting on open ground in warm light.
Young spotted hyena with mouth open, showing its teeth.
Young spotted hyena lying on the ground and looking toward the camera.
Close portrait of a young spotted hyena looking directly toward the camera.
Young spotted hyena resting its chin on the ground.
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