Ethiopian hyenas give up scavenging for Lent

Humans aren't the only ones who forgo creature comforts for Lent -- in Ethiopia, hyenas do, too. Scientists found that during the 55-day period, hyenas that normally subsist on scavenging from humans' scraps are forced to find other food sources, owing to the nation's largest religious denomination. Members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church give up meat and dairy for Lent, which lasts eight weeks and excludes fasting on weekends. Studying the droppings of hyenas in the northern region of the country, scientists found that the animals -- who luckily are very adept hunters -- shifted to a donkey-heavy diet during Lent and switched back to scavenging once their human neighbors returned to their normal diets.