Episode 59

Who's Laughing Now? Hyenas with Dr Kay Holekamp

Published on: 22nd August, 2020

Everybody knows their sound. It's haunting, but it also holds fascinating secrets.

Hyena’s have been painted as villains, demons ridden by witches, grave robbing ghouls, and the embodiment of all things vile by people for thousands of years. Nature documentaries and Disney films alike play no small role.

That’s what we’re exploring today. Much like in our episode on sharks, what is at the root of such a divide in how culture and science view these animals?

Our guide today is none other than the Jane Goodall of Hyena’s, Michigan State University’s Dr. Kay Holekamp!

We talk Lion King, arch nemesis, puzzle boxes, intelligence, teamwork, why it sucks to be a male hyena, how females have overthrown the patriarchy, aggression, laughs, and oddly a lot about something called a pseudopenis.

So, grab a cup of coffee and join your family in violently tearing a part a gazelle carcass as we explore the truth about hyena’s.

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About the Podcast

The Wild Life
A show about the wonder and wildness of life, following the threads that connect us to the natural world.
An optimistic, curiosity-chasing show about the wonder and wildness of life, following the threads that connect us to the natural world. The Wild Life is, always has been, and always will be a show about the diversity of life within the animal kingdom, but it's about more than that. It's about connections. It's about how the natural world inspires our culture, movies, and technologies. It's about the patterns that persist throughout not just life, but the universe itself. It's about us.
The Wild Life is a place for the curious, the adventurous, the hopeful, and the hopeless to discover the natural world through unique perspectives. Between the blog and podcasts, The Wild Life seeks to bring the traditional naturalist experience into the 21st century by merging immersive storytelling and foley art with technology and creative experiences. It’s an exploration of truth, common ground, and shared places as we attempt to fill each episode with wonder, connectedness, intrigue, and humor.

Thank you for being here.

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Devon Bowker