Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Moss: the hyena we hate to love

Yes, I constantly wax poetic about how adorable and charming our hyenas are. However, I’ll admit that they aren’t all beauty queens. Moss is arguably the least attractive hyena I’ve ever seen. Her fur is constantly dirty and matted, she has a chronic drooling problem, and she’s blind in one eye. In a word, she’s repulsive.


But, as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For some reason, the boys love Moss…she’s constantly being courted by at least one admiring male, if not a gaggle of three or four. Even the females in the clan fawn over her, ingratiating themselves at every opportunity. Between her undeniable popularity and her unforgettable appearance, there’s just something very intriguing about Moss.

If you’ve been reading our blog since the summer, you’ll remember that Moss
lost a young cub back in July. Well, I’m thrilled to report that Moss is now guarding a natal den! Apparently all that attention from the clan’s males has paid off, and she’s getting another shot at motherhood.


Let's just hope that these kids inherit their father’s looks.

2 comments:

Katy said...

Great news Kate! I was so sad for her when we found her with her dead cub. Glad to hear she's rebounded.

Have a great Christmas! Miss you>

Steph Dloniak said...

My Big Fat Bad-Eyed Bear Rocks!!!!!! Of course she has the boys fawning over her. She is almost as good-looking as the ultimate female hyena of all time, UA. Hope you see the kid(s) soon! Good luck! And let me know when you will be in Nbi...


Michigan State University | College of Natural Science