In February 2026, a resident of Kalipur village in West Bengal's Paschim Bardhaman district was reportedly bitten by a rabid dog.

But as word spread through the village, the story began to change. People were saying that a striped hyena had attacked someone.

Now, imagine hearing that a wild animal has attacked someone near your home. You would naturally worry about your family's safety. And the next time you spotted that animal, you might see it as a threat, even if it had done nothing to harm anyone.

That was the concern in Kalipur. An animal that had not attacked anyone was being blamed for an incident involving a dog. And if the rumour continued to spread, a hyena passing through the village could be chased or harmed out of fear.

For a species that people rarely see or understand, such misunderstandings can have serious consequences.

But a group of wildlife conservationists in West Bengal is working to change that, one village at a time.

A dog bite, a rumour, and a village learning the truth

On 19 February, members of WINGS (Durgapur Wildlife Information and Nature Guide Society) visited Kalipur to help residents understand what had actually happened.

With support from the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), Fondation Segré and the West Bengal Forest Department, they organised an awareness programme for villagers and students.

The team explained that the reported attack had been caused by a dog. They also introduced residents to the striped hyena, an animal that lives around them but is rarely seen.

Unlike the spotted hyenas often shown in wildlife documentaries, striped hyenas are generally solitary and most active at night. They feed largely on animal remains, helping clear carcasses from the environment.

Most importantly, residents learnt what to do if they encountered one: Keep a safe distance. Do not chase, surround or try to harm the........

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