Jambo From Colin

Hey All,

My name is Colin Hadley, the new RA for Talek camp. My research background is largely within the scope of primatology, having worked with howler monkeys, capuchins, and spider monkeys in Costa Rica before making my first trip to Africa to work as a research assistant for the LuiKotale Bonobo Project. The first divergence I took from the order of primates was working alongside a furry field partner (I’m talking about a dog) to conduct wildlife surveys in the western United States. And now my desire to burgeon my experience has brought me, once more, to Africa. To the striking landscape of the Mara our hyenas call home.

My field partner Siska and I conducting carnivore surveys in Oregon

An adult female howler monkey with a juvenile that has uncommon gold coloration on much of its tail

Upon arriving in Nairobi, I was met with two unanticipated incidents. The first being a case of lost luggage that would delay our trip to Mara, the second being the contents of my first meal in Kenya. I’m not sure I ever would have guessed fried chicken and french fries. Regardless, the prolonged stay in Nairobi came to a close and, with all luggage in tow, we made the drive to the Mara. Naturally, I became overly excited at seeing each herbivore species for the first time. Sightings that would become unfathomably commonplace in the following days. But the truly special part was seeing the species I had come all this way for. The hyenas.

A short game drive the evening I arrived in the Mara would give me my first glimpses of a few of our Talek West hyenas and the weeks that followed have provided an array of interesting sightings. Beginning with locating the communal den for our smallest study clan in Talek: Cool Beans. 

A slow and uneventful drive through the tall grass in their territory was flipped on its head when we approached a lone tour car to find they had been sitting quietly and photographing the eight resident cubs not only new to myself, but also to the project. With Talek West and KCM denning outside of the reserve, locating a den was a huge find.

BENS standing over her cub FYR at the Cool Beans communal den

Two days later, an early morning drive in Talek West territory gave way to my first observation of a mobbing event. A crowd of our Talek West hyenas formed around two female lions laying in the grass. Tails bristling, the rambunctious group repeatedly darted in and out from the lions, with the excitement carrying over into numerous affiliative and aggressive behaviors amidst our hyenas. With nothing in the lions’ possession to hold the attention of the hyenas, the crowd eventually dissipated.

Lions in Talek West territory with a freshly killed warthog

Talek West hyenas mobbing a female lion

Lastly, my favorite moment thus far: a clan war between Talek West and KCM. We had just arrived in KCM territory in the morning and had just stopped at two KCM hyenas as we heard whooping begin a few hundred meters to the east. Our hyenas snapped their heads and stood up, and the walk east soon became a lope. More whoops as we followed our two hyenas. 4 KCM individuals eventually swelled to 18 as more Talek West hyenas were arriving a hundred meters to the east. The morning turned into charges, retreats, bedlams of aggressive behaviors, and tense stand offs. The thrilling hours of observation came to a close as Talek West eventually turned and retreated east into a lugga.

As I continue to familiarize myself with our hyenas and the data we collect, I am left in eager anticipation of the year ahead of me.

KCM charging the Talek West front early in the clan war

KCM subadult TIGR leading the charge toward Talek West

PION retreating to the Talek West front as their charge ends

KANI looking over her shoulder during a lull of the clan war