Why People Hate Hyenas

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xj2Nnj4kSIA

Transcript:

Hi, this is Kate from MinuteEarth, and this is a spotted hyena - my favorite animal. But hyenas are
probably not your favorite animal; even though we humans generally feel pretty warm and fuzzy
toward warm and fuzzy animals, we like hyenas just about as much as we do snakes, tarantulas,
skunks, and hornets. Like snakes and spiders, hyenas have long been vilified and we’re talking way
before Disney. Aristotle talked smack about hyenas thousands of years ago, medieval scholars
dissed them in written and illustrated form, and Hemingway hated on them in long, spiteful
passages. And it’s not just the Western world; people who actually live among hyenas don’t like
them any better. In Tanzania, it’s believed that witches ride on and control hyenas. And the Beng
people of the Ivory Coast tell a story of how, after a hyena pooped in a local village, everyone fled -
its stark-white poop was an omen of death. So, why can’t hyenas even poop without getting, well,
smeared? It’s partly a vicious cycle, since one negative depiction begets another, but all this hate has
to be based on something. And sure, hyenas can hurt us, but so can tigers, elephants, and lots of
other critters we adore, so that alone doesn’t explain it. Maybe it’s their looks; I mean, I think hyenas
are unbearably? Un-hyena-ably? Cute, but I know some people think they are a bit off their scraggly
mane, awkward proportions, occasionally sparsely-furred face, and yeah, their weirdly pale poop.
And researchers have found that one thing that turns us humans off from animals is traits that - on a
human - would look unhealthy, old, or just plain ugly. But while these critters won’t win any beauty
contests, we don’t go so far as to cast them as villains, either. Hyenas’ PR problem might also stem
from the fact that, just as we view animals’ appearance through a human lens, we also view their
behavior through a human lens. And when a species, I don’t know, chows down on rotten meat, or
gives birth through a 7-inch pseudopenis - it might violate our standards for what’s acceptable,
instinctively triggering a deep dislike in us. Just look at how we view the alternative behaviors of
snakes, bats, and rats, animals that we also reliably typecast as villains. Of course, the offbeat
survival strategies of hyenas - and rats and bats and snakes - don’t actually make them evil - they’ve
just evolved very different ways than we have of making it in the world. In fact, I’d argue that their
weirdness makes them especially awesome and interesting - but I’m not necessarily trying to get you
to love hyenas. I just think that our tendency to write off entire species based on our own limited
perspective might say more about us than it does about them...maybe we should throw out our bias
and throw them a bone. OK, so clearly I’m not shy about displaying my love for hyenas or for
MinuteEarth!

Design:

We like hyenas just about as much as we do (1) _________________________, skunks, (2)

___________________________ and snakes.

Like snakes and spiders, hyenas have long been (3) _______________________ and we’re talking
way before Disney.

Aristotle (4) _________________________ about hyenas thousands of years ago, medieval scholars
dissed them in written and illustrated form, and Hemingway hated on them in (5)
___________________________.
It’s partly a vicious cycle, since one negative depiction (6) ___________________________ another,
but all this hate has to be based on something.

Cute, but I know some people think they are a bit off their (7) ________________________,
awkward proportions, occasionally (8) ___________________________ face.

When a species (9) ____________________ on rotten meat, it might violate our standards for what’s
acceptable, instinctively triggering a deep dislike in us.