CATASTROPHE

Man, 38, killed by elephant in Samburu

Jamal Lerosion's remains were discovered near the Ssaab airstrip on September 15.

In Summary

•Officials said many elephants from nearby conservancies and parks roam the area and such attacks are common.

•A team from the Kenya Wildlife Service and police officers from Wamba station who visited the scene said the deceased was heading home on foot from Westgate Centre late in the evening when he was attacked.

An elephant is seen at Amboseli National Park in Kajiado County, Kenya, on April 27, 2024.
An elephant is seen at Amboseli National Park in Kajiado County, Kenya, on April 27, 2024.
Image: XINHUA

A 38-year-old man was trampled to death by an elephant in a village in Ngutuk Engiron sub-location in Was West location, Samburu County.

Jamal Lerosion's remains were discovered near the Sasaab airstrip.

Officials said many elephants from nearby conservancies and parks roam the area and such attacks are common.

A team from the Kenya Wildlife Service and police officers from Wamba station who visited the scene said the deceased was heading home on foot from Westgate Centre late in the evening when he was attacked.

The animal crushed him before escaping to the nearby park.

The body was transferred to the Kiiru Hospital morgue awaiting autopsy. There are fears locals may gang up to hunt and kill the animal.

Such incidents of human-wild-animals conflicts have been on the rise.

Many wild animals stray from major parks to villages.

KWS has mounted a campaign to address the menace, which includes fencing the areas.

However, lack of funds has hampered the plans, exposing communities to dangers from the wild animals.

The government and conservation groups have a compensation programme for people and herders whose livestock is killed by wild animals.

Herders have become more protective after losing livestock to a drought termed the worst in decades in East Africa.

Officials said the loss of habitat and climate change threatened the number of wild animals the wild and that their future looked "bleak".The officials say policies aimed at enabling communities to co-exist with wildlife were vital.

 

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