BEIRUT — Hyenas are usually associated with the plains of sub-Saharan Africa, not the mountains of Lebanon. However, the striped hyena is not just a native species to Lebanon, it is the national animal. Yet the hyena is still hunted and misunderstood, weathering hostility while cleaning the country they represent.
The striped hyena, unlike its spotted cousin, is small, around the size of a German Shepherd, with a passive and solitary nature. They can be found near villages but are more interested in the garbage the population produces then the people who live there. Yet hyenas are still killed by poachers and viewed as a dangerous predator by many.
