We have so many hyenas around the camp... and so many visitors are nervous when they hear the hooping for the first time.. so redolent of the African bush.
With their amazing powerful jaws hyenas get such a bad press..... even
the beautiful Stripeys...so it was more than exciting to encounter the Hyena
men of Herar..... calling the hyenas into the old city walls... as the
muezzin call from the 99 mosques of the Old City at dusk, the hyenas start to
call back to the old Hyena men and then glide noiselessly up the
street... the children take great glee in passing as close as they can
to each hyena....( haven't lost a child yet).. apparently...its a very African experience watching the hyena eyes fix on an eight year old child...
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| Yes.. FOUR hyena eyes... and this kiddy is about three feet high... |
Feeding the hyenas takes on a surreal quality as we balance sticks of meat in our mouths which they delicately remove.. though its quite a shock when they jump on your back as a sort of grand- finale.... before gliding noiselessly back into the night where they can be heard hooping long after the muezzin are quiet for the night...
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| They come from all directions... |
One of those fantastical African experiences... doubt it has a Health and Safety security clearance and can't say we see Solo or Timo offering this on the Ol Lentille activity list any time soon- But Never say Never. Meanwhile, I hope that these wonderful animals can get a slightly better press at least for being such an iconic part of the African bush. We are all beautiful in our own way....
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