A Decade of Patience: How One Photographer Finally Captured a Rare Wildlife Moment

Some photographs are not taken they are earned. For wildlife photographer Wim van den Heever, capturing a brown hyena inside a forgotten desert town was a vision that took 10 years to become reality.

The image was taken in Kolmanskop, Namibia, a once thriving diamond mining settlement that has slowly been swallowed by sand and silence. Now a ghost town, its abandoned buildings have become a refuge for wildlife including the elusive brown hyena, the rarest of all hyena species.

Van den Heever first imagined the shot during an early visit to Kolmanskop a decade ago, when he noticed animal tracks leading into one of the crumbling structures. From that moment, he began planning a very specific scene: a lone hyena framed by decaying architecture, symbolizing both survival and loss.

Photographing the animal, however, proved far more difficult than expected. According to local security staff, the hyena passed through the area only once every several weeks. Traditional photography methods failed, forcing Van den Heever to turn to motion-activated camera traps, carefully positioned flashes, and precise calculations of light and movement.

Even a slight misjudgment could have ruined the shot. The lighting needed to hit the animal’s face perfectly, and the hyena had to step into an exact spot not too early, not too late. Year after year, the photographer returned, often leaving empty-handed.

Then, on one foggy evening, the camera was triggered for the third time. When Van den Heever reviewed the image, he immediately knew he had succeeded. The brown hyena stood sharply lit against the misty ruins, creating a haunting and unforgettable scene.

The photograph, titled “Ghost Town Visitor,” went on to win the Wildlife Photographer of the Year award at London’s Natural History Museum, beating more than 60,000 submissions from around the world. Judges praised the image for its emotional depth and its powerful message about resilience.

The brown hyena is classified as near-threatened, with an estimated wild population of only 4,000 to 10,000. Van den Heever hopes his work helps change public perceptions of the species, which has long been misunderstood and unfairly portrayed as dangerous.

Beyond the award, the photographer sees the image as a reminder that even the most overlooked creatures deserve protection and that sometimes, the most meaningful achievements come only after years of quiet determination.