Spotted Hyena

Often misunderstood and cast as villains, Spotted Hyenas are actually some of nature’s most fascinating predators. They thrive in complex, female-led matriarchal societies and play a vital role in maintaining ecosystem health.

Tragically, their populations are declining rapidly due to rising human-wildlife conflict and habitat loss.

This Spotted Hyena portrait was created using a technique similar to scratchboard, where the black area is scraped away with sharp tools to reveal the white of the paper beneath.