There is a city that loves hyenas as pets

In an ancient city in eastern Ethiopia, people fed hyenas, who in return helped them clean the streets and ward off demons .

Hyenas gather as night falls in the city of Harar. This bold animal arrived early and wandered around, not paying attention to the loud trumpets emanating from the temple calling people to pray. When Abbas Yusuf arrived, dozens of hyenas were waiting in the twilight. Abbas whistled and threw out a few pieces of meat. He then guided a group of tourists to watch so they could take turns feeding the hyenas with meat hanging from the end of a long stick, according to the Guardian .

Hyenas on the streets of Harar. (Photo: Guardian).

Elsewhere in Ethiopia and many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, hyenas are feared and have a bad reputation. The news often reports that they capture children. Across Africa, humans often come into conflict with hyenas, especially as human settlements expand. This large carnivore kills humans and large quantities of livestock, and is frequently poisoned and killed in retaliatory attacks. However, in the city of Harar, their presence is accepted and encouraged , according to Ahmed Zekaria, a local scholar.

While brown hyenas and striped hyenas are in the "near threatened" category , spotted hyenas are not endangered but their numbers are decreasing. As conflicts with humans increase and habitats shrink, the question of how communities can coexist with these large carnivores is becoming increasingly urgent.

In Harar, hyenas act as the city's garbage disposal system, emerging at night through a series of gates in the city walls and feeding on food scraps thrown on the streets. Abbas is one of the people close to the hyenas in the city. He learned from his father Yusuf, who started throwing leftover food to the hyenas while feeding the dogs decades ago. Abbas's relationship with the hyenas is so close that he names them all. Although most members of the pack do not dare to eat food directly from his hand, close hyenas often run to his house. "I feed them every night, regardless of whether there are tourists or not ," Abbas said.

One of Abbas's favorite hyenas is an older female named Chaltu. A few months ago, he wandered into an office building in the city and was beaten with a stick by a security guard. When he heard the news, Abbas booked an ambulance and took it to his farm to take care of it until it got better. Like many Muslims in Harar, Abbas and his father believed that hyenas could protect people from demons.

In a broader effort to promote tourism, the Ethiopian government is keen to exploit the relationship between Abbas and the hyenas. Currently, he feeds them in an abandoned lot. It will be replaced by a $2.5 million eco-park with shops, cafes and a museum. Authorities hope the project will help attract more tourists. However, the project could threaten the city's relationship with the hyenas. New structures could block many of the routes used by hyenas.