Impisi | Juvenile Hyena Portrait | Acrylic Print

Impisi — Into the Wild | The Story

Quiet.

Early one morning in Etosha, I had one of those encounters that makes you forget everything else.

A young hyena appeared in the distance and began walking directly towards me.

There was no drama, no rush. Just a quiet, deliberate approach through the soft morning light.

As he came closer, I watched his character emerge. The texture of his coat, the softness around his eyes, the alertness in his expression. Hyenas are often misunderstood, yet standing there looking into his face, I saw something very different.

There was vulnerability, curiosity and a quiet confidence.

He kept coming until, for a brief moment, he filled the frame.

It was only later, when I looked closely at the photograph, that I noticed something I had completely missed in the moment.

Reflected in his eye was the setting sun.

And beneath it, almost hidden in the reflection, was the shape and shadow of my 4x4, the very vehicle I had photographed him from.

That tiny reflection suddenly brought the whole encounter back to life.

For a fleeting moment, his world and mine had met in a single reflection.

I love this portrait because it doesn't need action or drama. It is simply a young animal being exactly what he is, wild, watchful and completely present.

I called him Impisi.