They have cracked the urban survival code in ways most people never expected.
Hyenas were supposed to be wilderness animals. That was the whole narrative. But cities have expanded into their spaces, and instead of vanishing, these highly adaptable predators have stepped up their game. Now in parts of Africa, hyenas are navigating suburbs, slinking through markets, and even adjusting to traffic like pros.
They are not just scavengers anymore. They’ve learned to read human patterns, time their movements, and pass survival strategies through generations. Some city dwellers barely notice them. Others are living with them in plain sight. The relationship is uneasy, complicated, and very much in progress. Here’s how hyenas are making the modern urban world work for them—and what people are starting to do about it.
1. Harar, Ethiopia has hyenas living inside the city itself.
This is one of the most famous urban hyena cases on record. In Harar, spotted hyenas have lived alongside humans for centuries, according to The Guardian. They roam the narrow alleys at night and even feed from scraps left for them outside the city walls. In some families, feeding hyenas is a generational tradition believed to ward off evil spirits.
Far from being pests, these hyenas serve an unofficial role in waste management. They help reduce organic waste, clean up scraps, and even limit populations of stray dogs in some parts of the city. Harar is one of the few places where this coexistence is relatively stable and culturally accepted.
But it’s not perfect harmony. As urban expansion continues, tensions sometimes flare when hyenas enter new neighborhoods or encounter domestic animals. Even here, where they are part of the cultural identity, balancing coexistence remains a delicate challenge.
2. In Addis Ababa, hyenas use the edges of the capital to forage.
Ethiopia’s capital city is also home to an increasing population of urban hyenas, particularly along the outer districts where development meets open land, as reported by BBC. They frequent garbage dumps, roam along rivers and gulleys, and sometimes venture deep into built-up areas late at night.
They’ve learned to time their movements to human activity. Many cross major roads only during low-traffic hours. Some use dry streambeds as natural highways to navigate between feeding zones and safe denning sites.
Local authorities monitor hyena activity, especially after occasional livestock kills or rare interactions with people. But for the most part, these hyenas are ghost operators—highly aware of human patterns and careful to avoid direct conflict. Their ability to read the cityscape is remarkable.
3. Abandoned spaces in South African towns give them new hunting grounds.
On the urban edges of several South African towns, especially those bordering game reserves, hyenas are finding shelter in abandoned industrial sites, vacant lots, and construction zones. These spots provide cover, quiet denning areas, and access to feral animal populations.
In places like parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, hyenas have been documented using these neglected spaces to raise cubs and scavenge food, as stated by Limpopo Limpadi. They slip through fencing and use human infrastructure as part of their expanded range.
This behavior often surprises residents who assume the nearest reserve is miles away. But for hyenas, a few connected corridors—rivers, culverts, backroads—are enough to bridge that gap. And abandoned spaces, which humans avoid, suit them perfectly.
4. Nairobi’s outskirts see hyenas moving into suburban corridors.
On the outskirts of Nairobi, hyenas have adapted to the growing suburban sprawl, according to Nairobi Park. They often hunt livestock on the edges of fast-expanding neighborhoods, but they also move deep into areas that used to be seen as too densely settled for large carnivores.
Some even use the Nairobi National Park as a daytime refuge and cross busy roads to forage in surrounding suburbs at night. Their ability to navigate urban edges without detection highlights just how fluid their sense of territory has become.
This leads to inevitable conflict when hyenas attack goats, sheep, or poultry. But many residents also recognize that the presence of hyenas helps control populations of stray dogs and other urban scavengers. It’s a tense coexistence, constantly shifting.
5. In Mekelle, northern Ethiopia, hyenas are firmly embedded in the urban ecosystem.
Mekelle, another major Ethiopian city, has seen an increase in hyenas using both the city outskirts and the urban core. They frequent waste dumps, but they’ve also been recorded moving through densely populated neighborhoods.
Local researchers have noted that Mekelle hyenas appear highly attuned to human schedules and avoid peak traffic and pedestrian times. They’ve essentially mapped the city’s rhythm and move accordingly.
Community awareness is growing here, with some initiatives aimed at improving waste management to reduce the attractants drawing hyenas deeper into town. But as of now, they remain very much part of the city’s nocturnal wildlife.
6. Bahir Dar, near Lake Tana, hosts hyenas along urban waterways.
In Bahir Dar, another Ethiopian city, hyenas use riverbanks and canals running through the urban core as movement corridors. This behavior lets them cross the city unseen and access multiple feeding areas in a single night.
The presence of these corridors—essentially green belts within the city—has allowed hyenas to thrive even as urban development accelerates. Residents are aware of their presence but often see them as useful for controlling waste and keeping stray dog numbers in check.
As with other cities, the challenge is keeping that balance from tipping into open conflict. When denning happens too close to schools or residential areas, tensions can rise quickly.
7. Smaller Kenyan towns near wildlife corridors are now routine hyena routes.
In numerous smaller towns near national parks and reserves in Kenya, hyenas have expanded their nighttime foraging ranges into human settlements. These towns, often built along natural wildlife corridors, have effectively become part of the hyenas’ extended ecosystem.
Local livestock losses remain a constant source of conflict. But at the same time, hyenas help manage waste and limit feral animal populations, a role that often goes unrecognized in the official narratives about human-wildlife conflict.
Municipal authorities in some of these towns are now trying to improve lighting and fencing in high-conflict zones, recognizing that complete exclusion is unrealistic. The goal is to manage coexistence, not eliminate the hyenas.
8. Ethiopian university campuses sometimes report nighttime hyena activity.
In a fascinating twist, several university campuses in Ethiopia—especially those near green spaces or less developed edges—have documented hyenas moving through after dark. Students and staff have learned to adjust their routines accordingly.
These hyenas are highly cautious but take advantage of food waste from cafeterias and informal vendors. Their presence adds a layer of complexity to campus life, prompting safety campaigns and occasional coordinated efforts to manage attractants.
Here too, the pattern is clear: hyenas are responding to opportunity. Where human structures and food overlap with safe corridors, they will adapt. And they pass that learning down fast.
9. Improved waste management is now seen as key to managing urban hyena presence.
Across all these cities, one truth stands out: poor waste management fuels hyena incursions. Where garbage is poorly secured, food scraps draw hyenas deeper into town. Conversely, better waste handling reduces those incentives and shifts hyena activity back toward the fringes.
Several cities, including parts of Addis Ababa and Bahir Dar, have launched targeted waste management campaigns specifically to reduce urban wildlife conflicts. The results are promising—less accessible trash means fewer hyenas pushing into dense residential areas.
But these efforts require consistency. One lapse in garbage collection can undo weeks of progress. Managing urban hyenas starts with managing human habits first.
10. Community awareness programs are reshaping attitudes toward coexistence.
In some areas, local governments and NGOs are launching public education campaigns to reshape how people view urban hyenas. The goal isn’t fear—it’s understanding. Knowing when and where hyenas move, how to secure livestock, and how to avoid unnecessary attractants can drastically reduce conflict.
Programs in places like Harar and Nairobi’s outskirts are already making an impact. Residents report fewer negative encounters when they adopt proactive behaviors. And in some cities, hyenas are increasingly viewed as part of the urban ecosystem—not invaders, but adaptive survivors.
Of course, no solution is universal. Every city faces its own challenges. But the bigger takeaway is this: hyenas are here to stay in many urban zones. The question now is not whether we can push them out—it’s how well we can learn to live with them.