Buffalo gores man to death

A guard was killed by a buffalo in Naivasha while a fisherman was attacked and injured by a hippo in the same area.

Residents are now worried over a surge in the number of animals that have strayed into estates and farms in search of pasture.

In the first incident, which occurred on Monday, a 35-year-old guard at Kedong Farm, off the Moi South Lake, was patrolling the vast ranch in the company of a colleague when the wild animal attacked him.

According to a ranch worker who declined to be named, the number of buffaloes in the area has risen sharply in the past two months.

He attributed this to harsh weather conditions in Mt Longonot and Hells Gate national parks.

And in the second incident, a fisherman lost his hand after he was attacked by a hippo in Lake Oloidein that borders Lake Naivasha.

Hippo attack

The fisherman was illegally fishing in the lake when the lone hippo pounced on him, tearing his right hand and injuring his legs before he was rescued by colleagues.

The incident comes barely a month after another fisherman was attacked and seriously injured by a lone hippo in Lake Naivasha.

According to David Kilo, who is an honorary game warden, cases of human-wildlife conflict around the lake are on the increase.

Mr Kilo, who is also the chairman Lake Naivasha Boat Owners Association, attributed this to encroachment on riparian land.

“We are worried by the increase in cases of hippo attacks around the lake and it is time KWS and other stakeholders addressed this issue,” he said.

Naivasha OCPD Samuel Waweru confirmed the incident, adding that the body was taken to Naivasha sub-county hospital mortuary.