Once Forgotten, Now Celebrated: Meet Phiri the Hyena at LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary
FOUR PAWS calls for greater compassion for a species too often misrepresented and mistreated
Bethlehem, 22 April 2026 — This International Hyena Day, observed annually on 27 April, LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary, a FOUR PAWS sanctuary, is shining a spotlight on one of its most charismatic and vocal residents: Phiri the hyena. His story of survival and transformation demonstrates the urgent need for greater awareness and protection of hyenas worldwide.
Rescued by FOUR PAWS after being kept alone in inadequate conditions, Phiri once lived without proper enrichment, social interaction, or the ability to express natural behaviour. Hyenas are highly intelligent and social animals that rely on complex communication signals, clan structures and environmental stimulation. In isolation, these needs go unmet, and Phiri suffered as a result.
After arriving at LIONSROCK, Phiri was given a species-appropriate, spacious environment designed to support natural behaviours such as scent-marking, exploring, scanning and vocalising. Slowly, he gained confidence, revealing a curious personality and displaying the behavioural nuances hyenas are known for including vocalisations often described as “laughter,” which serve as communication signals, not comedy.
International Hyena Day exists to challenge common misconceptions. Popular culture often portrays hyenas as villains or mere scavengers, despite abundant scientific evidence showing their critical ecological role, strong family bonds and sophisticated vocal and social intelligence. Sadly, this misunderstanding often contributes to their mistreatment in captivity, where hyenas may be exploited for entertainment, kept in private ownership or held in facilities unable to meet their needs.
Phiri’s story is a powerful example of why sanctuaries like LIONSROCK are vital. While wild animals belong in the wild, FOUR PAWS rescues individuals who cannot be released and provides them with safe, lifelong care. At LIONSROCK, Phiri has found peace, opportunity and perhaps for the first time, a life that allows him to truly be a hyena.
As the world marks International Hyena Day, LIONSROCK invites the public to rethink long-held prejudices and to celebrate hyenas for what they truly are: resilient, intelligent, ecologically essential animals deserving of protection and compassion.
For more information, please visit our website at lionsrock.org
/ENDS
Deidre Daniels
Public Relations Officer9B Bell Crescent, Westlake Business Park,
Green Building, Cape Town, 7945
A Public Relations professional with over eight years’ experience in fostering positive relationships between organisations and media.
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About LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary
LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary, a FOUR PAWS sanctuary, is home to around 100 rescued big cats from around the world. Here, they live out their lives in a safe, species-appropriate environment. https://www.lionsrock.org/
About FOUR PAWS
FOUR PAWS is the global animal welfare organisation for animals under direct human influence, which reveals suffering, rescues animals in need and protects them. Founded in 1988 in Vienna by Heli Dungler and friends, the organisation advocates for a world where humans treat animals with respect, empathy and understanding. The sustainable campaigns and projects of FOUR PAWS focus on companion animals including stray dogs and cats, farm animals and wild animals – such as bears, big cats and orangutans – kept in inappropriate conditions as well as in disaster and conflict zones. With offices in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cambodia, France, Germany, Kosovo, the Netherlands, Switzerland, South Africa, Thailand, Ukraine, the UK, the USA and Vietnam as well as 13 wild animal sanctuaries and cooperation projects across the globe, FOUR PAWS provides rapid help and long-term solutions. www.four-paws.org.za