An early setting African sun leaves the final remains of an elephant's femur in the grasp of the bone collectors.

Umqoqi wamathambo means “a collector of bones.”

It was dusk, and we had heard the news a week before. An elephant had recently died, and its remains had attracted a wide range of predators and apex hunters to its available meat. Lions, leopards, and jackals had visited and engorged on the feast over the first few days. With the circling vultures high in the sky, pinpointing the huge carcass had been easy. Visitor after visitor arrived to feed, leaving full bellied for another day in the unpredictable and often unforgiving bush. But as night changed to day and vice versa, the remains continued to dwindle until only the skeletal parts were left. Eventually only a large femur and pelvis lay in the place of its demise. But nature had its way still. The hyena and vultures had arrived and shared one common adaption - the ability to eat the pickings of these bones. And it would not be long before eventually these remains would be digested with nothing of the carcass to be seen again.

The Bone Collectors

Hyenas and vultures, both renowned scavengers, possess adaptations that allow them to thrive on decaying meat and bones. Their stomach acids are incredibly potent, not only breaking down rotting flesh and bone fragments but also neutralising harmful bacteria and diseases such as anthrax, botulism, and cholera, which would be dangerous to other animals. This unique digestive strength is key to their survival in environments where they frequently encounter contaminated food sources.

These two scavengers often feed side by side, but tensions can arise when hyenas perceive their meal as being threatened by vultures. When this happens, the larger hyenas assert dominance, causing the vultures to scatter temporarily. Although lions and hyenas occasionally kill vultures, such incidents are rare since vultures typically only land on the ground to feed, and by that time, other predators are usually preoccupied with their own meals.

Vultures hold the distinction of being the only birds that primarily consume bones. They are selective, often choosing fresh, nutritious bones from carcasses. Their strong beaks and powerful digestive systems allow them to extract nutrients from the bones that other animals cannot access.

Both species have highly specialised methods for locating food, which is crucial for their survival. Vultures rely on their exceptional eyesight to spot potential meals from the skies, scanning vast areas of land as they soar above. Meanwhile, hyenas utilise their keen sense of smell, navigating the landscape with their noses either close to the ground or lifted into the wind to catch the scent of carcasses. These different approaches often lead both scavengers to converge on the same food source.

While hyenas are adept scavengers, often outcompeting other predators to steal kills, they are also capable hunters. Vultures, on the other hand, demonstrate patience and persistence. After feeding, they perch on nearby trees to digest their meal or wait for another opportunity to feed. Vultures remain vigilant, waiting for a carcass to be left unattended, at which point they meticulously clean up the remaining scraps and bones. Hyenas, by contrast, tend to consume whatever they can, chewing and swallowing large portions with efficiency.

Together, hyenas and vultures play a vital role in the ecosystem by ensuring that nothing goes to waste, each species contributing to the process of breaking down and recycling the remains of dead animals.

Raw Africa Collection

Welcome to Africa - the wise, the restless, the life giving.

This soulful land of dreamers gives rise to the underbelly of a beautiful gentle beat that is only heard by those who listen for it. This photographic journey explores, profiles and captures what I hope is the heart and soul of Africa's true wilderness kingdom. From its deep bush to its dry savannah and desert, Africa remains a place where life is represented by timeless vistas that are distilled into moments to treasure.