What animals are often kept as pets? Cats or dogs, even reptiles are usually the safest choice to keep. But unlike some people in Nigeria, they choose to keep Hyenas.
Hyena or hyena is one of three species of rough-haired carnivorous animals, a type of dog (family Hyaenidae). However, although hyenas look similar to dogs, they are actually more closely related to cats.
Furthermore, hyenas are one of the animals that can beat lions. Hyenas can win against lions by attacking in groups and ganging up on lions.
Launching The African Insider, Sunday (3/7/2022) a number of people in Nigeria actually do not want to be afraid of these animals. Even for generations, a group of people keep hyenas as pets.
The group of people called the 'Hyena Men'. Traditionally passed down, they would give a potion to their children to drink then put them in close proximity to snakes, baboons, and hyenas. This is done to familiarize their children with the animal and eliminate all fear. It is said that there is a belief that the people there have an inexplicable attachment to hyenas.
A South African photographer named Pieter Hugo witnessed how Hyena Men treat hyenas and other animals. Through a series of photos entitled 'The Hyena & Other Men', he tells about his experience following the daily lives of Hyena Men.
"It was stranger for them to see me than I saw a group of men with hyenas and pythons and baboons," he said.
Hugo said hyenas, pythons and baboons are often the animals the Nigerians invite to make money. Usually they do street performances to earn money by showing the hyenas they have trained.
Of course, there are many who are against what happens to the animals that are used as spectacle. Moreover, some of the ways they treat these animals are quite extreme and cruel.
"These animals have been brought out of the wild as puppies. They can't go back. They completely depend on these people for food. And these people depend on animals for their livelihood. not an easy symbiosis," Hugo explained.
"Babons seem to be aware, and it is very sad to see them in the neighborhood, chained up. Baboons will be much more rebellious and mischievous than hyenas and people will be very cruel to them."
