Would Hyenas eat humans if they saw them?

Question

Just courious

And could I domesticate one?

Answer 1

Hyenas are most known for robbing the kills of other predators.  But they do hunt well too.  Just being seen by a hyena shouldn't be enough to get a human eaten but an *ss-dragging, wounded, sick, defenseless, solitary human sounds like fair prey to me.  'Lead us not into temptation' may seem a bit out of context here but I think it fittting.

They can not really be domesticated, they live in packs and so tend to undo (revert)whatever training you can give them.  This happens from time to time with domesticated dogs too.

Answer 2

To answer the second question first, you'd probably have a tough time of it, though a male hyena is more likely to work than the aggressive females. If you were going to domesticate one, get it as a pup, keep it socialized with other people and animals, and make sure you do not allow it to continue ANY negative behavior.

As for eating humans, I don't see why they would. They're like any other land predator- don't look or act like food, and you won't be food. Hyenas, while not wussy, are not exactly the bravest bunch (other than a pack with pups). Just avoid them if you encounter them in the wild, then you won't have to find out from experience how much they like (or don't like) humans.

Answer 3

Hyenas are basically scavengers.  However they are also pack hunters.  They will gang up on a critter and kill it.  If a lone human got surrounded by 3 or 4 hyena, that person would more than likely end up dead.

No, you can no domesticate a hyena.

Answer 4

It's possible, but unlikely unless the human in question was injured or sick. Whilst hyenas are famous for being scavengers, they are also active hunters - particularly the spotted hyena, which works together in groups to bring down large prey such as zebra and wildebeest. They are usually quite wary of humans, and though they may approach out of curiosity, they will back off if you shout and wave your arms, making it clear you are not easy prey. However, it could well be a different story if you were wounded and helpless, and the hyenas could see you could not defend yourself. They are opportunistic hunters and would probably not pass up the chance of an easy meal.

Hyenas can indeed be domesticated - certain people in Africa domesticate spotted hyenas all the time, here's an image:

http://visualstreak.com/wordpress/wp-con...

However, like all wild animals, they will retain their wild instincts however tame they may appear, and can be unpredictable. Wild animals should not be kept as pets for this reason. No animal can ever really be trusted - just look how many people are killed by dogs every year, and they have been domesticated for thousands of generations.