We hear many different narratives about it. Femininity is often described as gentle, nurturing, receptive or even timid. But spend enough time in the African bush and nature quickly challenges those ideas.
For Sarah Barratt, a guide at Thornybush Game Lodge and Safari Guide of the Year 2026, these qualities are not simply something she has observed from the sidelines. As only the second woman in the history of the competition to receive the prestigious title, she knows something about challenging expectations and redefining what strength can look like.
Here at Thornybush Nature Reserve, she sees a very different side of femininity every day.
It can be fierce. Intelligent. Protective. It can demand respect. And it can require extraordinary patience, resilience and strength.
Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than in the females who navigate life in the bush.
The Formidable Females of the Spotted Hyena Clan
One of the most remarkable examples is the spotted hyena.
Spotted hyenas live in highly organised, female-dominated societies, where social hierarchy plays an important role in the way a clan functions. Females are dominant over males, and individuals are born into a social position that influences their place within the clan.
Females of similar rank often form alliances, helping to maintain their position and keep lower-ranking individuals in check. It is a complex social system, but one that is remarkably effective.
There is another fascinating aspect to female spotted hyenas: they are generally larger and more powerful than males, with hormones playing a role in their physical development.
Together, their size, social bonds and strict hierarchy help maintain order within the clan.
But their strength is not simply about dominance.
Female hyenas are fiercely protective of their young, their social position and their clan. They are powerful mothers, formidable competitors and an essential force within one of the bush’s most fascinating societies.
They are, quite simply, a force to be reckoned with.
The extraordinary endurance of the hornbill
Then there are the red- and yellow-billed hornbills – perhaps a less obvious example of female strength, but no less impressive.
During breeding season, the female undertakes an extraordinary commitment to raising her young.
When she is ready to lay her eggs, she seals herself inside a tree cavity, using mud, droppings and organic matter to close the entrance until only a narrow slit remains.
And then she waits.
For several weeks, the female remains confined within this tiny space. During this time, she moults her flight feathers, leaving her completely dependent on her mate and especially vulnerable.
The male feeds her through the narrow opening, providing the nourishment she needs while she incubates the eggs and later cares for the chicks.
Once the chicks are older, the female breaks through the seal and emerges from the cavity. She then joins the male in searching for food for their young.
It is a remarkable breeding strategy – one that demands endurance, resilience and an extraordinary level of dedication from the female.
There is nothing timid about that kind of commitment.
Saseka: Beauty, Patience and Remarkable Intelligence
And then, of course, there is one of Thornybush’s most iconic female figures: Saseka, the leopard.
Saseka is undeniably beautiful, but her story goes far beyond her appearance.
She is one of the most successful hunters I have ever seen at Thornybush. I have watched her return to a single tree with multiple kills, all made within a remarkably short period of time.
But perhaps what stands out most is her patience.
I have watched Saseka settle into one spot and wait for an entire day, barely moving as she waited for her prey to inch close enough to present the perfect opportunity.
And her hunting is not simply about waiting.
I have also seen her use the world around her to her advantage. On one occasion, she appeared to deliberately position herself near a lodge, using surrounding sounds to help mask her approach as she moved towards her prey.
These moments reveal something that can easily be overlooked when we admire a leopard from the back of a game vehicle.
Saseka is not simply beautiful. She is intelligent. Patient. Observant. Incredibly skilled.
And it is these qualities, as much as her striking appearance, that have allowed her to become the icon she is today.
A Different Picture of Femininity
Perhaps that is what the bush teaches us best.
Femininity can certainly be caring, gentle and patient. We see those qualities throughout the natural world.
But they are only part of the story.
In the females of the African bush, we also see strength, intelligence, resilience, skill and an extraordinary capacity to protect, endure and succeed.
From the powerful social structures of the spotted hyena clan to the remarkable commitment of a female hornbill, and the patience and precision of Saseka the leopard, nature continually reminds us that femininity is not something that can be neatly defined.
It can take many forms.
And sometimes, it is nothing short of awe-inspiring.
