   | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 05/15/2018 *Starred Review* Has there ever been a creature more maligned than the hyena? From folklore to Disney, hyenas are often reduced to a cackling, scavenging villain, digging up corpses and stealing from mightier predators. But how much of this reputation is fairly earned? According to zoologist Kay Holekamp, very little. This latest installment in the acclaimed Scientists in the Field series, penned by National Book Award finalist Montgomery, heads to Kenya’s Masai Mara reserve, where Kay has studied the spotted hyena for three decades. Hyenas are unusual among mammals in that they’re entirely led by females; appropriate, then, that Kay has led groundbreaking zoological research in a field dominated by men. Her findings are changing not just public opinion about hyenas (they’re affectionate, social animals and accomplished hunters—lions steal from them more than the other way around) but also the way hyenas are viewed by scientists. From their physiology to their social structure, hyenas break a lot of scientific rules, and scientists can glean a lot by studying them. Montgomery covers hyena behavior, fieldwork processes, and daily life in the African bush, but she also profiles Kay and her research team, all of whom have their own reasons for being interested in hyenas. Similarly, Nic Bishop’s photos capture the research base, Kenyan fauna, and, of course, the hyenas themselves. A fascinating, informative, and inclusive window into a feared and misunderstood species. - Copyright 2018 Booklist. Loading...
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