A businessman from Nakuru, a town in Kenya’s Rift Valley, was “shocked” to find a “strange animal” in his small shop when he arrived for work early Wednesday morning.
Fredrik Omung said he didn’t know what it was at first, but it was scary.
“He clearly wasn’t a dog. I thought it was a leopard or something,” he told media.
Neighbours come and identify the animal as a hyena that can attack people under certain conditions.
“I was shocked and moved far away.” “I heard that hyenas are dangerous and can kill people,” Omung said.
Within half an hour, dozens of residents gathered around his stand and watched as the stranded animals took cover under a makeshift counter.
It is unknown how this animal ended up in a stable in a populated area.
Mr Omung, who sells leaf stimulant carts known locally as milaa, as well as soft drinks, sweets and peanuts, said he closed his shop at around 8 pm local time (17:00 GMT) last night.
And he arrived the next morning around 7 o’clock.
This area is not far from Lake Nakuru National Park and is probably where the hyena got lost at night.
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) wardens subsequently arrived and captured the animal.
Conflict between animals and humans is becoming increasingly common in Kenya, with recent reports of hyena attacks on humans in various parts of the country.
In Nakuru, some residents have accused KWS of not doing enough to prevent animals from crossing the park and into public spaces.
However, the county’s KWS senior warden Mark Cheruiyot told the media that the temporarily destroyed fence was being repaired and that it was unfortunate the animals had left the park.
Ms Omung said she was worried about the safety of children at a nearby elementary school, which is even closer to the park than the store.
“Some children come to school as early as 5 am.
Thank God the hyena did not harm anyone,” he said.
Another Nakuru resident, Jacinta Njeri, told local media that it was not the first time hyenas had been sighted in the area and that people were mainly afraid of their children.
Last month, Kenya’s Tourism Minister Alfred Mutua said the recent spate of hyena attacks on humans and livestock was the result of an overpopulation of the mammal.
Animal health authorities have confirmed that three hyenas that attacked and abused people in various locations three weeks ago were infected with rabies.
KWS said this would explain the unusually aggressive behaviour towards people.
The company had previously issued a warning informing people what to do if they encountered a hyena.