Striped hyenas range across North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, where they face persecution from misunderstanding and human-wildlife conflict.
Striped hyena welfare is threatened by persecution driven by fear and misunderstanding. As nocturnal scavengers visiting human settlements in search of carrion and scraps, they are misidentified as threats to people and livestock. Poisoning, snaring, and shooting are common responses. Traditional medicine hunting adds additional pressure. Striped hyenas are genuinely harmless to healthy adult livestock and rarely, if ever, attack people. Community education programs that correct misperceptions and demonstrate the ecological service value of scavenging can reduce persecution. Their welfare protection requires changing attitudes as much as legal protection.