A severe case of animal cruelty occurred last Friday near the settlement of Kedar in the Ma’ale Adumim area. According to reports, Arabs set a trap for a striped hyena, and after it was caught and unable to escape, they stoned it to death.
The striped hyena is a protected wild animal in Israel, and the law prohibits hunting, trapping, or harming it. It is the only species from the hyena family living in Israel and is considered the country’s largest land predator. An adult hyena weighs about 35 kilograms (77 pounds).
חלאות אדם: ביום שישי האחרון, ערבים הטמינו מלכודת לצבוע סמוך לישוב קידר, ורגמו אותו באבנים עד שמת. pic.twitter.com/wVjRzZH9ph
— הלל ביטון רוזן | Hallel Bitton Rosen (@BittonRosen) August 30, 2026
Despite the threatening image hyenas have in culture and folklore, they typically avoid confrontation with humans. According to the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, there has never been a documented case of a striped hyena attacking a person in the wild in Israel.
Hyenas are active mainly at night and are usually seen alone. They feed primarily on carrion, but also on small or injured animals, fruits and vegetables, and human waste. Because of their ability to consume carcasses and clean the area, the Nature and Parks Authority calls them “nature’s sanitation workers”—their activity helps clean the environment and reduce the risk of disease spread.
Population at Risk
The situation of the striped hyena is particularly concerning. According to the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, based on estimates from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the number of striped hyenas in the world is estimated at fewer than 10,000 individuals, and their population is declining. In the Middle East, their situation is even more difficult.
Among the main threats to hyenas in Israel are vehicle strikes, poisoning, traps, and deliberate pursuit and killing by humans. In Judea and Samaria, incidents of hyenas being shot and run over are regularly documented.
Just this past March, a striped hyena cub less than two months old was rescued near Ramallah after being caught in an illegal leg trap. The cub arrived at the wildlife hospital in critical condition, suffering from an open fracture, necrosis, and severe dehydration, and veterinarians were forced to amputate one of its front legs.
גור צבוע מפוספס צעיר, בן כחודש וחצי, הגיע לפני מספר ימים לבית החולים לחיות בר בספארי, לאחר שנלכד במלכודת רגל לא חוקית באזור רמאללה. המטפלים בביה”ח הביאו לו בובת טיגר כדי לדמות מגע אימהי, לתרום לתחושת ביטחון ולסייע במעט בהפגת הבדידות שנכפתה עליו. הגור חולץ בשעת לילה על ידי אזרח pic.twitter.com/tia5areljP
— ilana curiel (@ilanacuriel) March 29, 2026
Last year, a female striped hyena was also rescued near the separation barrier after being caught in an illegal leg trap. She was found injured and suffering, with fractures in her paw digits, and was taken for treatment at the wildlife hospital.
The Nature and Parks Authority emphasizes that in case of an encounter with a hyena, one should not approach it, feed it, or attempt to capture it. If the animal is injured or in distress, the Nature and Parks Authority hotline should be contacted.