Colour-coded cuteness to the maternal spotted hyena

by | Mar 7, 2016 | Site Content

 
                                
 

       

Colour-coded cuteness to the maternal spotted hyena 

 

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Crocuta crocuta photo © Kate Shaw Yoshida

Young spotted hyena Serengeti Tanzania

Crocuta crocuta photo © René Mayorga  

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Crocuta crocuta photo © Arno Meintjes

 

 

Colour-changes with age in the spotted hyena exceed those in other carnivores, providing extreme stimulus to the mother to nurture and defend her offspring. This can be explained by the peculiar combination of selfishness and gregariousness in the aristocratic society of this species: the female shows no maternal instinct towards juveniles other than her own, but must promote and defend her own offspring to ensure that it shares her rank. 
 
Robin and the Honey Badger, 22 March 2016
 
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Crocuta crocuta photo © E.J. Peiker
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Crocuta crocuta photo © Bernard Dupont