Hyena fur "splot"?

          When it comes to an observation session, one of our top priorities is identification. Sure, we can observe and record all of the behavior we want, but without knowing who an individual is or with whom they are interacting, then the data we’re collecting isn’t nearly as telling as it could be. Here in Talek, with our study clan of roughly 140 hyenas (& counting!), identifying individuals from one another can be quite the task at first. In fact, it took me about 6 months to feel comfortable with identification. That said, I’m quick to snap photos of any hyena I hesitate to identify with 100% confidence at first glance, so that later I can verify what hyenas I was observing with our photo books, or as we like to call them, "Hyena Bibles". 

            During a session if we can’t identify a hyena we’ll give him or her a temporary name, like “Blossom” or “Muddy Butt” or “Gouda” for example. That way, we can track the hyena throughout the session and not lose any data. Often times the hyenas indulge in a mud bath and cake themselves in dirt, making it impossible to get an identity. As frustrating as this can be, this is when using ear damage (like notches or slits or a missing ear), or any visible spots on the legs or rump can be vital to nabbing the identity. So it truly is pertinent that we know not only body spots but also leg, butt, and shoulder spots in the frequent case that is all we can see.

            Ideally, a hyena will stand still just long enough for us to get a clear look at their sides. For some, one side is more identifiable than the other. I’ve found that what I tend to see in an individual’s spots, or what I use to identify an individual, can be quite different than what another researcher uses. I’ve often found myself thinking that looking at the spots is comparable to a psychological inkblot test, joking that what we see differently in the spots is indicative of some aspect of ourselves and subconscious. Thus, I’ve dubbed the process of identifying individuals as the hyena fur “splot” (Get it? Spot + Blot = Splot… No? I tried..) test, where each of us as a researcher sees varying images within a hyena’s spots. It all started last June when I was first beginning the process of learning the hyenas by their unique spot patterns. Buenos Aires (BUAR), the matriarch of the clan, had this spot pattern on her left side that screamed "piece of toast and jam" whenever I saw her. Since then I've been seeing images (of mostly food items) in all of the hyenas... 

             Here are some ID photos of some of our hyenas to show you just what I mean. At the end of the post I’ll place the same photos with the image outlined so you can see what I see… or not…

             How about Umbreon (UMBR)… with her I’ve always seen what I consider to be the face of a clown… too farfetched? I identify her every time at a glance with this and the thought of cotton candy and circus peanuts.

            There’s Carter (CART) with her giant ice cream cone that makes us all instantly crave anything cold…

             Chicos (CHCO) and her undeniable smiling face... or what I think of as a robot... 

            Fairy Tale (FAY) and her obvious “T”…

            Helios (HEL) with her unmistakable shoulders, her right with a butterfly...

and her left with a pair of seagulls…

And what about with cubs, you may ask? Take Joule (JOUL) for instance. From the moment her first spots started to show I've always been able to see a baseball...

            So… do you see what we see? Perhaps I sound a bit zany, but when you’re trying to keep this many individuals straight, you use what you can, and sometimes the spots just speak for themselves, or most of the time I think they reveal that I’m craving some type of food… As I was saying before, we absolutely need to know who an individual is for the sake of the data. That just so happens to mean that I use abstract imagery in order to make identification that much simpler. Maybe I’ve been in the Mara for too long, or maybe my imagination has made its way too far into our field research… but whatever the case may be, the hyena fur “splot” test has transformed the seemingly daunting task of identification into a pleasing psychological exercise… at least for me anyways! Check below to see the images outlined: 

Umbreon: Do you see the clown now?

Carter: "You scream, we scream, we all scream for ice cream!" The spots certainly are..

Chicos: Mr. Roboto? 

Fairy Tale: She was easy, right? 

Helios: Her butterfly always reminds me of my undying love of insects.

Helios: Sporting a pair of seagulls in flight, she's never mistaken. 

 Joule: She's certainly ready for baseball season! 
Have any questions about how we identify hyenas in the field?
Don't hesitate to ask!