Last checked August 6, 2026
Just outside Harar’s Fallana Gate, local “hyena men” call wild spotted hyenas in from the surrounding scrubland after sunset and hand-feed them raw meat — by hand, and in some versions of the practice, meat held between the feeder’s teeth. It’s said to be a generations-old pact intended to keep the hyenas fed enough that they don’t turn to livestock or people, and it draws a genuinely wild (not captive) animal right up to arm’s length of visitors.
What to actually expect
- Timing is specific: the feeding happens after dark, typically in the roughly 7–9pm window once hyenas venture out from the surrounding scrub.
- These are wild animals, not performers. The hyena men have a practiced, specific relationship with these particular animals built over time — that relationship doesn’t automatically extend to a visitor holding the stick, so follow instructions exactly if you’re offered the chance to participate rather than just watch.
- Bring a flashlight or expect low light — this happens after dark outside the city, not under stadium lighting.
- It’s a short, specific experience — plan it as one stop on an evening out in Harar, not as an activity that fills a whole evening on its own.
This page covers what’s structurally true about the tradition. Specific pricing and exact timing vary by season and by which feeder you visit — confirm locally.