Saturday, 2nd July 2011
Death all around
by Marc Mol
One of the most remarkable events my wife and I witnessed was this predation by a pack of Hyenas on this poor and unfortunate Zebra mare who was heavily pregnant and simply couldn't keep up with the herd, it was the first time myself and my guide of 15 years had ever observed. Subsequently the unborn foal was savagely ripped out and carried off by one Hyena, it was heart breaking to watch, simply too much for one person in another vehicle next to us and asked to leave after this happened. All the time this mare never uttered a sound as the savagery of the pack set in, no doubt in severe shock.
Equipment: Nikon D3s 70-200VRII
Marc Mol
I started to embrace photography over 30 years ago, back in the old days of film.
I enjoy all forms of Nature photography, with a passion for African wildlife in particular.
Website: www.africaddict.smugmug.com
Death all around by Marc Mol was photo of the day on Saturday, 2nd July 2011. It is tagged Hyenas, safari, Zebras. You can leave a comment below.
52 Comments
Bill Kenny
Stunningly stark and brilliantly brutal. Almost too horrible to look at and too fascinating to dare look away. Spectacular.
Mary Mullins
Nature going through it’s course. Captivating!
Nikhil
This is a brilliant photo. It is really disturbing to view, but is compelling at the same time. Nature can be cruel, yet wonderful!
Kat Vitulano
This one, along with your description, is hard to view. And I thought I had a bad morning when my dachshund found a rabbit den in my yard & killed 2 babies before I intervened. Natural instincts needed for survival.
Gerry
Brutally beautiful image.
Veera
takes head to take such a shot…feeling is pure…I’ll say brilliant though…:(
Ronnie
SPEECHLESS
Balan Vinod
A wonderful story teller, and thats nature ..well done
Blackmagdalene
Terribile
Alister Benn
Brutal, yes, but equally, a very well documented scene of reality on the plains.
Peter Cherry
A truly remarkable picture and such a sad thing to witness. One can not be help but be moved by this image, we have to except that this is nature and a worthy winner of Earthshots..well taken
Ruben Vicente
wow this is an impressive image! Nature’s brutality at its best.
Mark Mercer
This is possibly the most shocking picture I have ever seen. Whereas big cats kill their prey hyenas just eat. It is truly horrifying. I like to think that maybe the body’s natural pain relief comes into play as in a battle situation but whether this happens or not it is disturbing to see so vividly Tennyson’s “nature red in tooth and claw”.
Helen Hart
This is why nature made “shock” — to spare a dying creature the pain. Awesome shot of nature at its wildest.
Mark Mercer
You cannot be sure about ‘shock’. I cannot see any reason for evolution to favour zebra that were pain free over zebra that suffered acutely since both are dead and cannot pass on their genes. Of course this is not the forum for this subject but I would like to know whether the picture speaks of suffering or not.
Rajib Singha
A life time shot!
Nikki
Sorry I clicked on this this morning. Really didn’t need to see this.
Laura Milholland
An amazing image, very well documented. The brutality of nature is often not pleasant to watch, and it is a part of this planet we often would rather turn a blind-eye to. Just like war. We may not want to dwell on it, but we cannot either ignore it. Well done!
Jo-annvanderburg
It is an amazing photo , it must of been hard to witness the crulty of nature , but that is what life is . It is easy to think these things dont happen but they do, this is real, we can not turn a blind eye . well done and thank you.
mspat
I trashed this, but then returned….it is awful…but still artful.
Mario Gustavo Fiorucci
I would love to take this photo, but the animal to escape. It is the nature and time. Very good photo. Regards
Teresa Lundeen
Although the image is well shot, I’m not sure this is the appropriate forum. Perhaps a wildlife magazine/site would be a better choice in that the observer is expecting this type of image and has made the choice to see it. Not trying to be naive regarding nature, simply would like to be a bit more comfortable in what type of pic I am opening. Not a typical ES pic so wasn’t expecting this to go with my breakfast! Congrats to the photographer..questionable on Earth Shots decision to post it.
Ron Willson
It is a great photo and worthy of display on this web site. Excellent framing and absolute perfect timing which is part of any great photo. This is life: a great horned owl carrying a rabbit in its talons, a fox pouncing on a mouse, a garden snake eating a nightcrawler, or a zebra being attacked by lions, hyenas, or crocodiles. They all offer opportunities for great photos. Any photo that offend viewers sensibilities can be removed with a single click. Thanks for posting it.
Roumieux Ludovic
One World:
“OBSCENE”
Sure Predation is part of Life.
Taking Death like great Scene is Perversion.
May be one day will have the great chance to take the surprised expression of human near death…
Neil
Brilliant, would love to capture something like this.
SusieB
Although on a personal level I find it a tough image to view, bottomline – it’s nature in the raw and it’s an amzing capture!
someonew
Amazing picture…it really shows how the survival of the fittest occurs in the wild!
Jonathan
Of course this is an appropriate forum for this photo. Although the picture depicts death, it wonderfully illustrates the food chain, and how death is always a part of life here on planet earth. Also, while it’s clear what the hyenas are doing, the photographer did not use any gratuitous gore in the shot (and from his heartbreaking description of the scene, it sounds like he very well could have done that).
NIck
Before and After would have been ridiculous and madly offensive
Mary R. Mullins
Nature at it’s best. Fascinating!
Marie Dunphy Harding
Horrific for the Zebra; yet, there are all sorts of raw, brutalities in the food chain that we have never seen or thought about . It must have been awful to watch, but you brought a challenging documentation to viewers just the same, thank you.
art x
what an incredible capture. impressive work all be it one cannot but feel sorry for the poor zebra
msc
while a truly great shot, I have to add my insight as to its appropriateness here. I usually open these photos with my 3 year old Grandson. This is NOT appropriate for some one so young. I couldnt get out of here fast enough last night!
Osvaldo Carbuccia
The law of nature in the most crude way. Great picture.
Rod Heywood
In a few words– emotionally powerful shot
Sharon
Though this pic illustrates the stark reality of the wild kingdom, and though I would agree that this shot was very well done and a rare photo op to boot, I was not expecting such an image as this on ES, having subscribed since I don’t know when. I did not think it appropriate simply because this forum has not, at least since I started viewing daily several years ago , posted something so graphic. For those of us who would rather not start our day this way, it was very disturbing to say the least. If I should choose to see this type of photo, there are other sites/magazines available. If ES has decided to allow such horrific shots, I will have to seriously consider unsubscribing. Or perhaps ES could include a rating in the subject line for those of us who suffer greatly at such a lovely creature’s suffering.
Meredith Images
Awesome! True nature which is always amazing.
C. Fitzgerald
I love the way you captured the “grace” in the mother zebras face. shocking , yes, but a beautiful shot none the less.
Linda
DISTURBING to say the least,know it’s nature but………!
Linda Pothiers :*)
Ps…I prefer the Happy Hyena playing in water having a good time. :*)
ChicagoBeth
So difficult to view, but so important to remember how nature actually works–a lesson to us all.
Bill
This is so much more than death, it is also LIFE. At least 8 spotted hyenas are fit for another day due to this zebra, and their young back at the den can nurse as well. The Serengeti-Mara system has around 9,000 hyenas and 300,000 plus zebra, they need each other. The beauty and excitement of the hunt is not the kill, it is the display of the evolutionary shaping that brings out the best in both predator and prey making it fascinating for the knowledgeable observer. The fact that so many of us are unnerved by one of the most natural events in existence just demonstrates that its been a long time since our ancestors walked away from the African plains and disconnected us from the authentic food chain. Brilliant capture Marc and great to have a thought provoking image to connect us to the natural world.
Keyur
Amazing shot – was the mother spared by the Hyena’s?
Linda Pothiers :*)
deleting this one………from my earthshot folder..L.P.
Sparts
Keyur, are you serious?
The mother was killed and then the calf was taken from within her.
I don’t think this is such a great photo. It’s unique and it certainly draws on the emotions, but other than that it’s not particularly appealing and to me has no other obvious qualities.
If earthshots wanted a reaction then they acheived this.
@Mark Mercer, some big cats do eat before the meal is dead. The lion being the most obvious.
Rashid Mukoon
This is what we call the survival of the fittest.we cannot escape the law of nature,though the image is heartbreaking, it is a striking shot.Thanks.
Morkel Erasmus
Dramatic shot Marc! Well done on this one…
RicxPicx
I find the comments regarding this image as dramatic as the image.. With the exception of a few comments, I believe most forget about the basic instinct of survival.. Nature has an amazing way of balancing itself, yet allowing continued survival of all kinds and types of animals.. It is only MAN who has the ability to destroy and wipe out many complete species of animals, through his own niavety, selfishness and greed…. who shot millions of Bison, for the “sake” of it.. who has ploughed up millions of square miles of natural grasslands/woodlands to plant their own “feed”; for their own survival – and by doing so destroying the natural habitat which has lead to killing off many millions of birds and natural wildlife .. I could go on.. but its happening while we speak..
Please dont apply your own standards to those of nature..
It is a superb image and it captures nature as it is!..
Maybe we should have more photos of the damage that MAN is doing to nature and the natural planet– !!!
Sparts
Thanks for the lecture RicxPicx. next time save your rants for twitter – then at least we can switch them off.
Preeti
Brutal but necessary. Really fantastic capture of nature.
Massimo
I am back a week after I saw this picture for the first time.. I can’t forget it..
This presentation of the nature at its essence is frozen in my eyes. I can’t help myself…
This picture keeps telling me that photography is not a perfect, flawless photoshopped landscape you forget after a few hours.. it is not a uber-commented quasi studio portrait of an animal (usually shot a park)
Photography is emotion.. is freezing feelings, sensations, moments, memories, concepts and ideas in a single outstading shot that stays there, in front of our eyes
And this one is without doubt a wonderful photography of the rule of nature.
Marc MOL
Photography is about evoking emotion and feelings and it appears this image has certainly done that. I appreciate & understand ALL the comments here.
I think Bill (4th July 2011 at 5:53 am) has summed up this image very well…….it is indeed the circle of life.