hyena and pup | pen & ink

This pen-and-ink piece captures a hyena mother and her pup — a glimpse into one of Africa’s most complex and structured social systems. Spotted hyenas live in highly organised clans led by dominant females. Rank determines everything: access to food, breeding rights, and even how individuals interact. Female pups inherit the social status of their mothers, giving them automatic priority over most other clan members from birth. Life at the den is the centre of early development. Pups are born in communal dens but raised under strict rules. Mothers nurse their own young and fiercely guard them, while higher-ranking pups often feed first and grow stronger more quickly. As they mature, youngsters learn the rhythms of clan life — social cues, alliances, and the cooperative behaviours that make hyenas exceptional hunters and survivors.