Carnivores that shape their lives around humans may find themselves following human calendars. And that includes our religious observances. In Ethiopia, spotted hyenas eat meat scraps left by humans for most of the year. But when those humans go vegan for Lent, the hyenas become hunters.
You might not expect dietary discretion from spotted hyenas, as they're possibly the world's least picky eaters. They're just as happy to scavenge on found carcasses as to kill their own meat. They've been observed devouring all kinds of mammals, birds, fish, and reptiles--not to mention garbage, dung, and carcasses infected with anthrax spores. The hyena's digestive system even handles bones without a problem. Hair and hooves are the only remains left after a thorough hyena meal.
But in northern Ethiopia, where populations of their natural prey are severely depleted, spotted hyenas rely on humans for food. Not that they eat humans, that is. ...
