Spirit of a Young Spotted Hyena
In November 2025 at Madikwe Game Reserve I came across a young spotted hyena alone on an elephant carcass, a sight both rare and quietly profound. At first, it seemed a stark image of death, but as I watched, it revealed itself as a meditation on life, on connection, and on the delicate threads that link predator, scavenger, herbivore, plant, and landscape into the rhythm of the wild.
The images in this series draw attention to the hyena, to its presence, its quiet intensity. Through composition and tonality, I wanted the viewer to feel the hyena not as a subject observed from afar, but as a being whose gaze invites intimacy, reflection, and understanding. In its eyes one sees survival, curiosity, and the intelligence that allows it to navigate a world of abundance and challenge.
Spotted hyenas are often misunderstood, yet they are essential. They are hunters and scavengers, cleaners and balancers, creatures whose presence ensures that the cycle of life continues. Through this series I sought to capture not just their form, but their spirit and the vital role they play in maintaining the equilibrium of the veld. These images are an invitation to witness the rhythm of life and death as it unfolds naturally, to experience the flow of the ecosystem from the perspective of a wild and intelligent participant.
This intimate encounter also speaks to the larger ecological context of Madikwe, where the elephant population has grown far beyond what the landscape can sustain. From fewer than 250 elephants in the early 1990s, numbers now exceed 1,600 individuals, placing pressure on vegetation, biodiversity, and the habitats that sustain all species, including the hyena. The impact of these large herds is visible across the reserve. Trees once tall and abundant are now stunted, canopies that once offered shelter to birds and smaller creatures are thinning, and vast areas show vegetation reduced to shrub layers. This imbalance is controversial and challenging for conservation, yet it remains part of the natural cycle, reminding us that abundance is both a gift and a test.
In Spirit of a Young Spotted Hyena, the elephant carcass is not a dramatic prop but a quiet symbol of nature’s checks and balances. It is a moment that embodies growth, decay, consumption, and regeneration. It invites reflection on our role in conservation, on how we value different species, and on how we bear witness to both triumph and struggle in the wild.
For me, this series is about more than documentation. It is about connection, the type of connection that begins when you meet the gaze of a wild animal and feel its presence resonate within you. It is about sensing the stories beneath the surface, understanding the interdependence of all life, and recognizing the fragile beauty of the natural world. In these images, I hope viewers can experience what I felt in that moment: not standing apart as an observer, but participating in the living tapestry of the veld, in the cycle of life, and in the spirit of a young spotted hyena.
Raquel de Castro Maia, ЮАР, Mossel Bay
