ENVIRONMENT

Ten-year quest captures award-winning hyena image

In the ghost town of Kolmanskop, South African photographer Wim van den Heever finally captured a brown hyena — a shot that won the grand title at this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year. After a decade of 2–3 a.m. setups, trashed cameras and fog-thick nights, his trap fired as the elusive animal slipped between abandoned buildings. A Natural History Museum zoologist hopes the image can shift perceptions. Researchers say brown hyenas, near threatened yet roughly stable, use old mining towns for shelter and bring nourishment into the Namib. Van den Heever says he’ll keep returning.

Reviewed by JQJO team

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