Hyena Project
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hyenaproject.bsky.social
Hyena Project
@hyenaproject.bsky.social
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
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
Microevolutionary consequences of social structure in wild spotted hyenas
doi.org/10.32942/X2Z...
November 17, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Reposted by Hyena Project
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-...
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 ‘Longevity Conservation’ global...
www.cdu.edu.au
October 24, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Reposted by Hyena Project
‪📢 #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
October 16, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Reposted by Hyena Project
„Pictured: Winning entries for Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025“

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx253vrd931o
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.
www.bbc.com
October 15, 2025 at 4:25 AM
Reposted by Hyena Project
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...
September 23, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Reposted by Hyena Project
Please RT!

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

▶️Apply here for P7: tinyurl.com/j2ehtz7m
September 19, 2025 at 10:09 AM
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Come and work with us! Three new academic posts (including Animal Behaviour) and superb facilities in the new Life & Mind Building
Oxford Biology is growing 📢

We’re appointing 3 Associate Professors in:
🌱 Plant Sciences
🦉 Animal Behaviour
🔬 Molecular Cell Biology

3 fields. 3 opportunities. One new home for Oxford Biology.

Learn more 👉 bit.ly/41S2Tc7
Apply now 👉 bit.ly/488CNW3
September 15, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Reposted by Hyena Project
🐒🕸️ New preprint! Confused about how to model animal social networks?

ASNA can be confusing—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 🧵
Five misunderstandings in animal social network analysis
ecoevorxiv.org
August 4, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Reposted by Hyena Project
I think this thread might be the most fascinating read on Bluesky right now!
Biologist folk (especially in evolutionary biology and/or ecology, but it don’t matter):

Can you give me your favorite examples of trade offs in biology? Organism or system don’t matter. Primary literature or reviews preferred.
July 28, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Reposted by Hyena Project
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 🙏🏻
July 31, 2025 at 6:13 AM
Reposted by Hyena Project
Published 📖 🥳 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 🧵
July 16, 2025 at 3:30 PM
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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
July 8, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Reposted by Hyena Project
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
June 25, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Reposted by Hyena Project
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
June 25, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Reposted by Hyena Project
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...
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...
www.nature.com
June 27, 2025 at 5:54 AM
Reposted by Hyena Project
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....
➡️For more details on their research ecobhvr2025.sciencesconf.org?lang=en
More to come!
May 26, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Reposted by Hyena Project
Bonobo societies are famous for being “female 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_...
Female solidarity keeps male bonobos in check
Study on wild bonobos reveals that females team up to maintain power in their societies
www.ab.mpg.de
April 24, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Reposted by Hyena Project
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
#Pathogen-induced alterations in fine-scale movement behaviour predict impaired reproductive success #ProcB #OpenAccess royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
April 10, 2025 at 4:04 PM
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Two year postdoc position to build mathematical and agent-based models to understand the role of reputation in social inequality (deadline 4 May)
🚨Job alert! Two-year postdoc to join the Rep2SI project at @lsemethodology.bsky.social! We're looking for a modeller to join our team of ethnographers & experimentalists studying the role of reputation and reputational concern in perpetuating social inequality.
Apply by 4 May: tinyurl.com/yjccd3vv
April 2, 2025 at 10:29 AM
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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...
Free workshop on demographic resilience - Aug 2025 in Berlin — 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 ...
www.leibniz-izw-akademie.com
January 30, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Reposted by Hyena Project
Good piece by @natureportfolio.bsky.social. The erosion of thinking time—driven by admin, bureaucracy, industry agendas, and unrealistic output targets—stifles curiosity-led science. These pressures undermine innovation and the intellectual freedom vital for real progress. 🧪🌱🌍 #ScienceIsNotBusiness
December 26, 2024 at 2:52 PM