A Narok farmer is counting losses running to thousands of shillings after a hyena raided his home killing 38, sheep and seriously injuring five others last night.
The incident at Olkiriaini village in Narok south sub county left the residents in fear as such occurrences have been rampant in the area that is near the Maasai Mara Game reserve.
According to the area Deputy County Commissioner Felix Kisalu, the lone hyena raided the homestead of Lenkaya Kirerai in the wee hours of the night where it got in the sheep pen killing the 38 sheep on the spot.
Kisalu said they are working with Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to nub the killer hyena, and assist the farmer to get compensation.
“The animal is suspected to have vanished in the thickest, however, the KWS officers have been deployed to assist in demobilizing the killer animal and later help in assisting the farmer get his due compensation,” said Kisalu.
The DCC however urged the livestock farmers to strengthen local security structures to deter marauding wild animals from causing such damages.
“Our farmers need to put up fences around their homesteads and ensure the house where their livestock is kept is very secure to deter any wild animals from getting inside,” said the DCC.
He also called on KWS to work closely with local residents to develop a sustainable human-wildlife conflict management plan to avoid such eventualities in future.
“With much of the wildlife living outside the protected areas, one of the real challenges is how to enhance and sustain coexistence between people and wild animals,” said Kisalu.
Human-wildlife conflicts have been a common phenomenon in the area as barely does a month end without such an incident being reported.
It is undoubtedly evident that the expansion of the human society has forced people to infringe on wildlife habitats and convert land to other uses incompatible with wildlife.
by Ann Salaton
