I remember a time when everyone of my friends wanted to get a pitbull as a pet, just so they can look cooler, and brag about how dog their dogs were. Now staring at these pictures I realize Africans are at whole other level, anyone of those pets, be it the hyenas, baboons or the python would make a pitbull beg for mercy.

Still it looks very cruel, taking wild animals, slapping a huge chain on them and using them as pets, it doesn’t look at all natural.

These are the copyrighted images of South African photographer Pieter Hugo, taken from his latest book Hyena and Other Men. The men depicted are Nigerian street performers and medicine men that travel around with these animals to ‘prove’ the potency of their magic and medicine. They are licensed by the Nigerian government and treat their animals with love and respect.

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