Outrage after farmers lose 100 livestock to stray lions, hyena
Some of the goats belonging to Mr Ibrahim Adan Wako that were killed by stray lions at Rakko village on February 10, 2021.
Fear has gripped Rakko village in Garbatulla, Isiolo County after a pride of stray lions killed dozens of livestock.
And in Narok County, residents of Oloongila village, Olkiriane location are pondering their next move after a wild animal suspected to be a hyena mauled over 38 sheep after breaking into the pen.
In the Isiolo incident, on Wednesday night, about seven marauding lions killed 45 goats and 15 sheep belonging to a local farmer, Mr Ibrahim Adan Wako.
The 64-year-old, with help of other residents, managed to chase away the carnivores that also injured 45 other goats and sheep.
"I am so saddened because I have incurred a loss of about Sh450,000. The Kenya Wildlife Service should compensate (me) for the loss," the distraught farmer said.
Residents asked KWS to track and capture the lions and return them to Bisanadi Game Reserve where they are believed to have escaped from.
With the wild animals prowling the village at night, locals said they are unable to go on with their normal activities.
Killed our livestock
"It is not the first time the wild animals have invaded our homes and killed our livestock. We have on several occasions complained about this but nothing is done," said Mr Hussein Guyo, a local farmer.
They said the continued attacks had negatively affected pastoralism, which is their economic mainstay.
Garbatulla Deputy County Commissioner Stephen Nyakundi said KWS rangers chased away the lions and that they were still patrolling the area.
"They are still carrying out surveillance in the area," said Mr Nyakundi.
He asked residents to alert authorities in case they spot any marauding animals.
The irate residents threatened to kill the animals if the government does not return them to the park.
Pastoralists living near the park have also been asked to secure their livestock pens to ward off the marauding lions that roam the area at night.
In Narok, the owner of the livestock Mr Lenkaya Kilerai said the predator crept in at around 2am when they were asleep.
"Today early morning a hyena attacked the boma (home) of Mr Lenkaya Kirerai in Oloongila village in Olkiriaini location, Ololunga Division and mauled 38 sheep. Also, five sheep sustained various injuries" Narok South Deputy county commissioner Felix Kisalu said.
Nearby thicket
Speaking to the Nation on Thursday morning, Mr Kisalu said the wild animal vanished to a nearby thicket. He urged Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) officers to work closely with residents in developing a sustainable Human-Wildlife Conflict Management Plan to avoid such eventualities in future.
KWS and livestock department officers have been deployed to assist in hunting down the killer animal and assist the farmer get compensation, according to KWS senior warden Richard Chepkwony who confirmed the matter.
