Three people are receiving treatment at Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital (NTRH) after being attacked by a stray lion in Kimugandura, Laikipia East.
According to a report by KBC, Senior Warden Rose Malenya of the Kenya Wildlife Service in Laikipia confirmed what had happened and called it unfortunate. The warden highlighted the stealthy and unpredictable nature of lion attacks as she urged locals to notify the authorities immediately if they see any stray wild animals roaming about their neighborhoods to prevent future cases of attacks.
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Due to the presence of several conservancies in the area, wild animals are frequently seen roaming in Laikipia. However, Ms. Malenya said that they have been careful to prevent human-wildlife conflict. Before being slain by residents, the stray lion killed a sheep belonging to a local and injured another. It was unclear whose reserve the lion had originally come from.
Cases of attacks on locals by stray wild animals are rampant in the area despite KWS reporting that measures have been taken to prevent them. Cases of wild animals including elephants from the conservancies attacking the people in the area are common. Reportedly, an elephant that fled from a neighbouring conservancy and broke over an electric fence at Doldol Market last month gravely hurt a trader.
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The government has released around Ksh 5.7 billion to compensate victims of human-wildlife conflicts nationwide, according to State Department for Wildlife Principal Secretary Silvia Museiya, who recently spoke in Laikipia.
