A farmer in Olepolos, Kajiado County is counting losses after a stray leopard invaded her farm and killed her 50 sheep.
Siantau Timpau said the attack occurred at around 6:00 am, when they were still asleep and she was awakened by the noise.
She said when she went outside, she was met with the ghastly scene of her sheep carcasses strewn all over the pen and compound.
Timpau added that she called for help from her neighbours who rushed to her home and immediately organised a search team to look for her other 50 sheep which were missing.
“I had 100 sheep, fifty of them were killed by the leopard while the rest cannot be found. They must have escaped during the attack and we don’t know where they went,” she said.
The 50-year-old widow lamented that she had been left destitute by the attack, as she depends on the sheep as her only source of livelihood.
She said she has managed to single-handedly educate her five children in Secondary schools and the University through the sale of sheep and she was at a loss as to where she would get money for their education.
“I have two children in Secondary schools, one in college and the eldest in University. I depend on these sheep to educate them. How am I going to pay for their fees now?” cried Timpau.
Silas Lentia, Timpau’s son expressed his worry about the fate of his education, adding that he did not know where his college fees would come from.
Lentia called on Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to hunt the leopard down which is believed to be still roaming freely, before it caused more damage and to ensure that his family was compensated for the loss.
According to the residents, cases of wildlife attacks in their village was on the increase, and was now a cause for worry as Timpau’s home was the fifth to be attacked in a span of four months.
James Mutunkei, a resident of Olepolos said over 500 sheep and goats had been lost to wildlife attacks in the past one year and yet no action had been taken by KWS.
He said locals were now worried of attacks as they conduct their day-to-day activities and were also worried about the safety of their children, as they go to and from home and school daily.
He urged KWS to find a long-lasting solution to the perennial human-wildlife conflict that is causing tension in the area.
Cases of human-animal conflict have always been a common occurrence in Kajiado County as the county is surrounded by three national parks; Nairobi, Amboseli and Tsavo.
By Rop Janet
