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Hyena Project

@hyenaproject

We have been studying the behavior + ecology of the 8 clans of spotted hyenas in the Ngorongoro Crater since 1996. See also hyena-project.com

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03.12.2023
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Latest posts by Hyena Project @hyenaproject

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Our package estar for quantifying ecological stability is out: MEE @britishecologicalsociety.org! Provides 11 stability metrics for measuring stability at different levels of organization, from individuals to populations, communities + ecosystems. besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

02.03.2026 16:49 πŸ‘ 11 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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πŸ“’ You look for a student #Job? You'd like to contribute to current research topics about birdsπŸͺΆπŸ¦ & #WestNileVirus?
Then be part of a consortium on "Combating #WNV through an integrated #OneHealth approach" #TUBerlin , #Charite, #FUBerlin, #UniBayreuth ... Apply here at #IZW:
short.sg/j/63072339

24.02.2026 17:06 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Suggestions for how to develop systematic approaches to create equitable futures for individuals with disabilities in higher education
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/15/2/94
🧡 by author:

04.02.2026 15:28 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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What animals can teach us about overcoming tyranny Some animal societies are ruled by despots with an iron fist, while others seem naturally egalitarian – and they all have lessons for us.

"What animals can teach us about overcoming tyranny"

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260121-what-animals-can-teach-us-about-overcoming-tyranny

23.01.2026 11:23 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Led by Viktoriia Radchuk, an international collaboration shows phenological shifts in response to changing temperatures allow populations to remain stable or even increase in numbers.
Support from #sDiv @idiv-research.bsky.social

18.01.2026 11:16 πŸ‘ 29 πŸ” 16 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 5
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Our findings reveal how social structure and non-random dispersal generate hidden genetic structure and result in heterogenous rates of adaptive evolution.

Led by the *brilliant* Kasha Strickland!

#longterm

17.11.2025 16:13 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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This demonstrates adaptive benefits of gene flow and no evidence for selection against males from outside the Crater.

Finally, additive genetic variance in fitness differed among clans. This is cool because it shows that evolutionary potential is unevenly distributed across the population.

3/4

17.11.2025 16:13 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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The differences were best explained by asymmetric dispersal between clans. This indicates that social processes drive population stratification.

We also found that hyenas with more foreigner ancestry (i.e., from outside the #Ngorongoro Crater) had higher fitness.

2/4

17.11.2025 16:13 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

How do social structure and male-biased dispersal shape genetic structure and evolutionary potential?

We analysed 29yrs of demographic + genome-wide data from >1100 #hyenas.

We found consistent genetic differentiation in our 8 study clans. This reflects cryptic population genetic structure.

1/4

17.11.2025 16:13 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Global body adopts policy to protect Earth’s old, wise and large animals | Charles Darwin University The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has recognised Charles Darwin University-led research into the Earth’s oldest animals with the adoption of the β€˜Longevity Conservation’ global...

the IUCN have passed the Longevity Conservation motion put forward to them by @kellerfish.bsky.social and @pili-scotland.bsky.social and based on the paper we wrote on the value of older individuals in animal societies.
www.cdu.edu.au/news/global-...

24.10.2025 08:28 πŸ‘ 56 πŸ” 27 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 2
Photo with a blue tit and information text of how to apply for the announced postdoc position.

Photo with a blue tit and information text of how to apply for the announced postdoc position.

β€ͺπŸ“’ #Postdoc (75%) 3+2 years on identifying #West-Nile-Virus wildlife hosts and #modelling spatial risk factors.

Be part of a consortium on "Combating #WNV through an integrated #OneHealth approach" w #TUBerlin , #Charite, #FUBerlin, #UniBayreuth and health authorities

▢️ tinyurl.com/yuhfwpdr

16.10.2025 14:53 πŸ‘ 8 πŸ” 9 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 2
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Wildlife Photographer of the Year: snapping the world's rarest hyena Photographer Wim van den Heever got the winning shot beside an abandoned diamond mining settlement.

β€žPictured: Winning entries for Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025β€œ

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx253vrd931o

15.10.2025 04:25 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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We are hiring - PDRA position exploring how information access shapes social dynamics in killer whales. Collaboration with @samellisq.bsky.social @drwhale.bsky.social Prof Dan Franks (York) start 1st Nov (or ASAP) end 31st Oct 2028. Apps close on 19th Oct.

www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOT336/p...

23.09.2025 18:29 πŸ‘ 32 πŸ” 44 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 5
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Please RT!

πŸ“’ #Doctoral / #PhD position available with us at Leibniz-IZW for 4 years working at the interface of #wildlife + #disease #ecology, #veterinary sciences and #modelling.
πŸ—πŸ—πŸ—πŸ¦πŸ¦πŸ¦
Training within #DFG #RTG 3069 led by @freieuniversitaet.bsky.social

▢️Apply here for P7: tinyurl.com/j2ehtz7m

19.09.2025 10:09 πŸ‘ 10 πŸ” 21 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Come and work with us! Three new academic posts (including Animal Behaviour) and superb facilities in the new Life & Mind Building

15.09.2025 12:54 πŸ‘ 31 πŸ” 31 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0
Five misunderstandings in animal social network analysis

πŸ’πŸ•ΈοΈ New preprint! Confused about how to model animal social networks?

ASNA can be confusingβ€”but also full of opportunity. We break down 5 common misunderstandings in animal social network analysis and share solutions from behavioural ecology, anthro, stats, & network science. Hope it helps!

A 🧡

04.08.2025 16:21 πŸ‘ 47 πŸ” 23 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 3

I think this thread might be the most fascinating read on Bluesky right now!

28.07.2025 14:28 πŸ‘ 19 πŸ” 15 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Excited to share that we have just been awarded a NERC Pushing the Frontiers grant to work on between-group cooperation in the Shark Bay dolphins. We will soon advertise a 3 year post-doc to join the team - drop me an email if you might be interested! Pls share widely πŸ™πŸ»

31.07.2025 06:12 πŸ‘ 125 πŸ” 52 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 6
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Published πŸ“– πŸ₯³ In a new meta-analysis @mariusgrabow.bsky.social studied whether subtle infection, traditionally often considered as relatively benign, affect phenotypic and demographic traits. Using avian blood parasites, causing #avianmalaria as an example, we performed a systematic review 🧡

16.07.2025 15:30 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0
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Our #study finds that #male #dominance isn't the norm among #primates, and starts to unravel what shapes flexibility in intersexual power

paper (OA) https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2500405122

press release https://www.mpg.de/24986976/0630-evan-beyond-the-alpha-male-150495-x?c=2249

08.07.2025 13:55 πŸ‘ 75 πŸ” 50 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 2
Screenshot of the online app, showing the sliders for the settings of different social parameters on the left and the result relatedness and competition patterns on the right. The settings reflect the case we found for chimpanzees.

Screenshot of the online app, showing the sliders for the settings of different social parameters on the left and the result relatedness and competition patterns on the right. The settings reflect the case we found for chimpanzees.

Want to explore the expected relatedness in different social groups - and how this can affect competition? Check out the neat app L. White did for our paper: https://bsky.app/profile/drlozwhite.bsky.social/post/3lsgieizk4k2a

paper: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.250385

25.06.2025 13:46 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Two of the scientific graphs from the linked paper. The left side shows that as female chimpanzees get older, their relatedness to the males in their community increases because they now include their sons. The relatedness to other females however stays low, because new unrelated females constantly join the community. The graph on the right shows that these age-related changes in relatedness mean that females are expected to act selfish when they are young, but care about others in the group when they are older.

Two of the scientific graphs from the linked paper. The left side shows that as female chimpanzees get older, their relatedness to the males in their community increases because they now include their sons. The relatedness to other females however stays low, because new unrelated females constantly join the community. The graph on the right shows that these age-related changes in relatedness mean that females are expected to act selfish when they are young, but care about others in the group when they are older.

We have a new paper:

"intergenerational conflict among females may play a role in the evolution of #chimpanzee #menopause"

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.250385

25.06.2025 10:39 πŸ‘ 17 πŸ” 10 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Mucosal immune responses and intestinal microbiome associations in wild spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) - Communications Biology In wild spotted hyenas, the gut microbiome is shaped by mucosal immunity. Mucosal immune measures have strong associations with specific taxa of bacteria, hookworms and fungi known to establish mutual...

Whoops from within: a new study on the intestinal microbiome of wild spotted hyenas reveals complex associations with local mucosal immunity, paralleling human and rodent models.
#gutcrosstalks #amazinghyenas #OneHealth

Check out the article @commsbio.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s42...

27.06.2025 05:54 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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We are delighted to introduce the first three keynote speakers
Emmanuelle Porcher cesco.mnhn.fr/fr/annuaire/...
Alexandre Courtiol www.izw-berlin.de/en/alex-cour...
Emily Shepard www.swansea.ac.uk/staff/e.l.c....
➑️For more details on their research ecobhvr2025.sciencesconf.org?lang=en
More to come!

26.05.2025 15:32 πŸ‘ 13 πŸ” 8 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 1
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Female solidarity keeps male bonobos in check Study on wild bonobos reveals that females team up to maintain power in their societies

Bonobo societies are famous for being β€œfemale dominant.” But females are weaker than males, so how can this be? Study by Barbara Fruth and Martin Surbeck on wild bonobos explains how.

Hint: it has to do with female solidarity.

Paper ▢️ www.nature.com/articles/s42...

www.ab.mpg.de/673281/news_...

24.04.2025 16:11 πŸ‘ 98 πŸ” 39 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 12

New paper out by @mariusgrabow.bsky.social studying movement behaviour of European Starlings equipped with high resolution ATLAS tags. Some individuals were naturally infected with avian blood parasites, decreasing their movements behaviour and increasing their resting behaviour 🧡
#movementecology

10.04.2025 16:04 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Two year postdoc position to build mathematical and agent-based models to understand the role of reputation in social inequality (deadline 4 May)

02.04.2025 10:25 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 12 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Free workshop on demographic resilience - Aug 2025 in Berlin β€” Leibniz-IZW-Akademie Dear colleagues and friends,  We have recently developed a new approach to study the resilience of wild animals . We would like to present this approach to you during a 2-day workshop – with ...

Free Workshop on #wildlife demographic resilience 7th-8th August 2025 in Berlin, Germany - great course, great lectureres, great location!
#population #demography temporal variation #RStats #models
▢️ www.leibniz-izw-akademie.com/seminare/wor...

30.01.2025 20:26 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 6 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Scientists need more time to think

Scientists need more time to think

Good piece by @natureportfolio.bsky.social. The erosion of thinking timeβ€”driven by admin, bureaucracy, industry agendas, and unrealistic output targetsβ€”stifles curiosity-led science. These pressures undermine innovation and the intellectual freedom vital for real progress. πŸ§ͺ🌱🌍 #ScienceIsNotBusiness

26.12.2024 14:52 πŸ‘ 381 πŸ” 116 πŸ’¬ 14 πŸ“Œ 10
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Eve Davidian β€ͺCNRS - Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier, Ngorongoro Hyena Project‬ - β€ͺβ€ͺCited by 339‬‬ - β€ͺBehavioural ecology‬ - β€ͺSocio-ecology‬ - β€ͺSexual conflict‬ - β€ͺSocial dynamics‬ - β€ͺDispersal...

Hi Eryn, we are Behavioral and Evolutionary Ecologists and would like to be added to the science feed. Cheers, Eve & Oliver

isem-evolution.fr/en/membre/da...

scholar.google.com/citations?us...

hyena-project.com

14.12.2024 20:09 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0