If you are a Pelican Yoga regular, you have already seen Barbara Cartland’s and Barbie’s avian avatars. (in #10 of the “quirky moments” series)
This post’s “punkish” cub is a member of Africa’s most oft-misrepresented mammal species.
His kind are very much smarter and much more “social” than most humans realise.
Contrary to common human belief, spotted hyenas are primarily predators rather than scavengers.
Lions are much more likely to “steal” from hyenas than vice versa, and spotted hyenas are much the more efficient hunters.
Over the last several thousand years hyenas have had rotten “press”, but they are not rotters.
Nonetheless, the young hero of this post’s appearance and demeanour were decidedly “Rottenesque”.
Now 67 years old, John Lydon no longer much resembles his younger self.
When young, John Lydon was The Sex Pistols’ “Johnny Rotten”.
As “adults”, Messrs Lydon and Hyena look like very different animals, but their “cub” selves’ appearance and “attitude” are surprisingly similar…as you can confirm, here!
Featured image is copyright Doug Spencer, taken in Etosha National Park, Namibia, at 7.47 am on 07 November 2022.
The pictured cub was part of a group of hyenas; our surprisingly close encounter with them will be the subject of at least one multi-image post, eventually.
Meanwhile, for a vivid dose of spotted hyena myth-busting, fine photos, video and audio, click this.
Musical bonus
It is reasonable to assume that American pianist Fred Hersch had young humans rather than young hyenas in mind when he composed “Child’s Song”.
Still, however flimsy/quirky the connection, I hope you too enjoy a remarkable, beautiful and playful duet, recorded in concert in March 2023.
Fred Hersch resembles neither John Lydon nor any hyena, but Fred and John are both 67 years old; Enrico Rava – Fred’s Italian trumpeter friend – is 83!
Enrico Rava has been Italy’s pre-eminent jazz trumpeter for most of his life.
For most of his adult life Fred Hersch has been of jazz’s most consistently interesting American pianists.
Remarkably, Fred and Enrico – longtime mutual admirers- had never played a single note together until November 2021.
The resulting duo album – The Song is You – is a very happy marriage of deep lyricism and inspired improvisation, with Enrico playing flugelhorn, only.
Since the album’s 2022 release on ECM Fred and Enrico’s duo has been ongoing; I hope somebody lures this pair to Australia.