By Cyrus Ombati
Two children died and six other family members were injured when a pack of hyenas attacked their home in Wajir County, officials said.
A ten-year-old boy who was among the injured was airlifted from Wajir to Nairobi on Thursday after he was attacked and injured by the hyenas.
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said Musa Jelle was mauled on the face when a pack of hyenas attacked the manyatta where his family was sleeping in at Dilmanyale, Wajir County at about 10 pm.
The injured members of the family were admitted at Habaswein District Hospital while the boy was admitted at Garissa District hospital. Other family members have since been discharged from hospital and burials for the deceased carried out.
Reports said KWS rangers pursued and eliminated the hyenas. They are also on the ground engaging local communities for sensitization and awareness on human wildlife conflict mitigation measures. KWS donated Sh20, 000 as a consolation to the family.
Doctors said the boy’s condition had since deteriorated necessitating his referral for treatment in Nairobi.
“KWS has made arrangement to airlift the boy for treatment in Nairobi. Besides paying Sh 57,000 medical bill incurred by the boy at Garissa District Hospital, KWS will also pay treatment fee at the hospital in Nairobi and meet flight costs,” said part of a statement from KWS.
There is an increasing conflict between humans and wild animals in many places in the country. The latest was that of Kitengela in which villagers killed six lions in reaction to an earlier incident in which the beasts had killed up to 30 sheep and goats.
On Tuesday, KWS rangers were called to drive away elephants that had strayed to homes in the same area. The rangers used a chopper to drive away the elephants.
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