Human-Wildlife Conflict on the rise in Naivasha as scores of livestock killed

NAKURU, Kenya, Sept 14 – Residents living near Mt Longonot and Hells Gate National Park are calling on the government to end the perennial cases of Human-Wildlife conflict that has witnessed scores flee their homes and after losing a good number of their livestock.

The increased cases are said to be as a result of the ongoing drought that has affected nearly 10 counties nationwide.

Wild animals such as leopards and hyenas have killed tens of their livestock this as zebras, buffaloes and giraffes have left a trail of destruction across farms in the area.

Livestock consisting of 20 goats and sheep have so far been killed by suspected hyenas and Leopards.

Area county assembly legislator Stanly Karanja accused the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) of failing on their mandate.

“In the last one week four homes have been raided by leopards that killed several goats and injured others but KWS officers have failed to act. If it was a leopard that had been killed, we would have tens of KWS officers in this area but since it’s a poor woman who lost her two sheep no one is bothered,” Said Karanja.

A section of children have also avoided going to school in fear of meeting wild animals along the way to school.

Jane Njeri,a resident in the area now says that at the rate the attacks are ongoing,many will be forced to flee their homes.

“We have school-going children and we rely on livestock to pay the school fees and the killings means a crisis for us,” Said Njeri.

Fencing according to area residents remains to be one of the challenges as stray wild animals end up in residential homes an issue further made worse by the ongoing drought as the animals are in search of water.