It is quite amazing what crazy things Christi and I do when we are on vacation. Of course our vacations are few and far between, but when we go on vacation we really go. This current vacation as you are no doubt aware is a year-long. If we were sitting in our apartment in San Francisco and a complete stranger asked whether we wanted to feed wild spotted hyenas, literally six inches from our face then I’d probably say, “Are you crazy?”And yet here we are, standing in some waste ground on the outskirts of Harar in Eastern Ethiopia paying for the privilege to do just that! And I can’t emphasize enough that these are wild spotted hyenas, not trained animals. Also, as you can see from the accompanying photos, these animals are big and powerful.
Spotted hyenas are genetically closer to cats, but behaviourally they act more like dogs, so maybe dog-like cats is the most accurate description of these guys. Females are the dominant sex, growing larger than the males (up to 200 lbs in extreme cases). And here are two disturbing facts for you. First, the spotted hyena are well-known for their powerful jaws, sharp teeth, and bone crushing abilities. With a pressure of 800 kg, a hyena’s jaws are more powerful than those of a tiger, a grizzly bear, or a lion. And they use their powerful jaws to consume all of the body parts of their prey including skin, teeth and bones. Second (and we hope less relevant to this evening’s entertainment) the genitals of the female spotted hyena closely resemble that of the male. The clitoris is shaped and positioned like a penis and is capable of erection (I don’t want to know how that piece of information was obtained, by the way). Moreover, the female spotted hyena does not possess an external vagina. Instead, the pseudo-penis is traversed to its tip by a central urogenital canal, through which the female urinates, copulates, and gives birth. So now you know and you can thrill your friends with your incredible general knowledge!
Of course, this does not help Christi and I as we nervously approach the Hyena Man of Harar, who has called in spotted hyenas from the surrounding hills. This event occurs just after the sunset – not only to add to the atmosphere, but also to allow farmers working outside the city to return during daylight and in safety. Well that does not inspire much confidence in me, and yet I do not turn away. If anything I’m drawn even further into the light given off from the headlights of a tuk-tuk that brought us to this deserted spot outside the city gates. The hyena man waves us forward. Like a true gentleman I let Christi go first and when she stays rooted to the spot I give her an encouraging push in the back (I’m the photographer and she is my muse – or in this case, potential bait). Initially the Hyena Man takes a strip of camel meat, attaches it to a stick 6 inches long and then puts the stick into his mouth. A large spotted hyena races out of the gloom, opens its jaws very wide and for a moment the Hyena Man’s head disappears from view. In a flash, the powerful jaws snap down on the camel meat, and the hyena pads away licking her lips (okay, maybe not licking her lips, but sufficiently satisfied to have left the Hyena Man’s head on his shoulders). The Hyena Man says this large female is called Tika and she is the pack leader. Reluctantly, Christi kneels down (an image of someone being beheaded pops into my head) but being the dedicated photographer that I am I concentrate on the moment in hopes of capturing the perfect image. The Hyena Man then gives Christi a clean stick with a strip of camel meat attached, which she places in her mouth and he tells her to keep very still. Christi then places her hand in front of the meat and only when she drops her hand will the hyena approach – we hope! It all happens in the blink of an eye, the hyena lopes in, reaches up and snatches the meat without even touching Christi. It is a rush like no other she says. Well, I got to get me some of this, so we change positions. This time I kneel down and place the stick in my mouth, a strip of raw camel meat dangling enticingly just a few inches from my face. Tika looms up in front of me and boy do I suddenly feel vulnerable. “Keep still”, the Hyena Man insists (easy for him to say). The hyena’s head inches from mine, her powerful jaws opening (it’s like a scene out of the movie Alien), (adrenaline is surging within me) all I see is teeth and saliva, while hot breath catches my face (my heart is thudding against the wall of my chest), and SNAP! She pads away into the night and I am left alone with an image and a feeling that I shall never forget. Now this is why Christi and I travel.
Blog post by Roderick Phillips, author of Weary Heart – a gut-wrenching tale of love and test-tubes.
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