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Michigan State University students in the Holekamp Lab blog about their experiences in Kenya, research on spotted hyenas and adventures in the field.
Posted by Andy Flies at 11:30 AM 0 comments The hardest part about studying animals occurs when, all of a sudden, you’re reminded that they aren’t invincible. Despite the fact that hyenas are amazingly feisty and resilient animals, they live difficult lives. When we spotted Geezer, we immediately knew something was wrong. He was trying to walk into a shallow water hole, but he could barely move. He was moving slowly and laboriously, and it took a long time for him to reach the edge of the pool. As he bent down to drink, blood ran down his neck from several puncture wounds, and the water around him turned red. Geezer drank laboriously for several minutes, which wasn’t a good sign - healthy hyenas don’t tend to drink much. From the size and shape of the punctures on his neck, as well as other wounds on his back and hindquarters, we could tell that the poor guy had been attacked by lions. He’s from the Happy Zebra Clan, whose den was visited by lions not long ago. Recently, we’ve repeatedly seen a group of five large male lions in the heart of the clan's territory. To make a sad story short, Geezer didn’t make it through the night. Out here, we walk a thin line between being animal enthusiasts and scientists. As animal lovers, we inevitably grieve when a hyena dies. These hyenas become our family and our closest friends. We know their favorite hangouts, their friends and foes, and their funny quirks. We see them day after day, carrying on with their lives, and it’s impossible not to get attached. Unfortunately, rule #1 in research is “don’t get attached,” because our jobs don’t just end when a hyena dies. We can learn invaluable information post-mortem, so we have to retrieve the body, perform a necropsy, and prepare the skull to be sent back to the US. As scientists, we have to (at least attempt to) distance ourselves from the situation; it’s a strange and difficult balancing act between emotion and obligation. But, all is not lost. In an ironic twist of fate, the same day Geezer died, we had our first sighting of Quark, the newest cub in the Happy Zebra Clan. The coincidental timing of Geezer’s death and Quark’s birth was a perfect reminder that, while nature can be harsh, new life is just around the corner. Posted by Kate at 9:57 AM 0 comments The high density of animals that feed on tree leaves is one reason that so many trees have thorns. The thorns function as a defense against herbivores eating the tree leaves. As with defense in nature, a new offense will inevitably arise. Many adaptations have arisen in the savanna to circumvent the plant defenses. I think the elephants have a particularly interesting method of dealing with the thorns. They just eat them. In the first picture below you can see the thorns in the foreground and the stripped branches in the background. The arrows are pointing to branches that have had the leaves and thorns removed by an elephant trunk. The second picture is for scale and to help you appreciate the size and strength of the thorns and how tough the elephant trunk, mouth and digestive system are. I was able to push the thorns on the branch into the log quite easily. It should also be evident how thorns of this size could easily go all the way through a human foot, some feet more easily that others.
Posted by Andy Flies at 1:19 PM 0 comments When I realized I was not going to be in the states during the election I was quite disappointed. Surprisingly the election in the U.S.A. is a hot topic in Kenya, due to the ancestral connection of one of the presidential candidates to Kenya. Many Kenyans I have spoken with has asked about the elections and has been well-informed. I have heard reports of Kenyans getting up at 5am to watch the presidential debates.
Most of the news I get from friends at home about the elections is how nasty the campaigns have become and how happy people will be when they don't have to see another political commercial. Despite the distance of the Fisi Camp researchers, we have managed to stay acutely interested and informed about the election process. Much to my surprise, my absentee ballot arrived promptly in late September and is now on its way back to the states. Special thanks goes out to the helpful staff of the City Clerk for the city of Lansing.
Posted by Andy Flies at 1:10 PM 1 comments
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