Roaming pack of hyenas cause panic in Kitengela
There have been repeated cases of hyena attacks in the country.
What you need to know:
- Two donkeys and several goats have been killed by the hyenas recently.
- Residents have minimised their night movements for fear of hyena attacks.
A pack of roaming hyenas has caused panic and fear among the residents of Kitengela town in Kijiado County.
According to the residents, in the past two weeks the hyenas have been cited roaming freely at night in several neighbourhoods.
The hyenas, which are suspected to have strayed from the Nairobi National Park, have been spotted in Namelock, Upper Milimani, and Acacia estates.
Residents have also reported that two donkeys and several goats have been killed by the hyenas recently.
However, no human attack has been reported.
Mr Moses Njuguna, an area resident, recounted how he recently encountered the animals on the feeder road to Upper Milimani estate when driving home at night.
"I recently ran into a pack of hyenas on the road on my way home. Despite flushing my vehicle headlights the hyena remained unperturbed. I drove slowly behind them until they branched into shrubby area. I was terrified," said Mr Njuguna.
For fear of their safety area residents have now minimised their night movements.
"It's not safe to walk around at night in our neighborhood. Most of us have minimised our night movements lest you encounter the animals," said George Riri, a resident.
The residents are now appealing to the Kenya Wildlife Service to translocate the animals to the Nairobi National Park or elsewhere to avert deaths.
In February, former Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua attributed the rising cases of hyena attacks in the country to overpopulation of the wild animals.
Dr Mutua explained that hyenas started overpopulating during the dry season last year as they feasted on carcasses of other animals that succumbed to drought.
He said the hyenas have now become a public nuisance, attacking people in Nairobi, Juja, Machakos, Makueni, Simba Hills, and other places.
“We have many hyenas and everybody is asking where they are coming from, but many animals in our national parks succumbed to drought including elephants and giraffes and the hyenas feasted on the carcasses and they reproduced a lot,” Dr Mutua said then.
Stray lion, elephants and antelopes are a familiar sight in Kitengela considering its proximity to the Nairobi National Park.
The area also used to serve as wildlife migratory route to Kapiti plains before the animals corridors were blocked by human activity.
