04/17/2026
According to local legend, the relationship began during a severe famine centuries ago. To prevent hungry hyenas from attacking the city’s inhabitants, town saints allegedly struck a deal: feed the hyenas, and they won’t attack.
This “pact” still exists today as residents leave food out for the animals during the Ashura festival. The city walls of Harar also include “hyena doors” in the ancient stone fortifications — openings specifically designed to allow the predators into the city at night to perform their scavenging duties.
https://a-z-animals.com/articles/ethiopias-hyenas-are-doing-an-unexpected-job-cleaning-cities-and-cutting-emissions/
