Farmers in Nandi counting losses after stray wild kills livestock

Farmers in Nandi are counting losses after a suspected wild animal killed over 40 livestock in the last month.

The residents of Bonjoge, Kesengei, and Serem areas in Aldai are living in fear of a roaming wild animal, which has been terrorising the area and devouring sheep and goats estimated to be worth over Sh300,000.

Josiah Tanui, a farmer, claimed to have suspected the wild animal to be a hyena and it has been challenging to trace its hideouts in the ragged and hilly terrains along Nandi escarpments.

“It only strikes at night and leaves behind lifeless animals in the sheds. I found my five sheep dead in the morning, and their internal organs were missing, and bites were inflicted on their necks,” he stated.

Some 16 farmers had their livestock killed by hyenas and were forced to sell their stock to avert losses.

However, they want the Kenya Wildlife Service to intervene and evacuate the killer hyena in the area.

“The wild animal is also dangerous to humans if it is not relocated as soon as possible. We cannot wait until it attacks the children, and KWS has not taken any action even after reporting animal attack incidents,” said Tanui.

Nandi KWS senior warden Augstine Lang’at confirmed that they have already started searching the wild and urged the locals to help with the information about the movement of the animal in the area.

“From our observation is that it is a stray hyena and it has been living in the bushes along the escarpment for months. We call upon the locals to remain vigilant to help in evacuation if the wild,” stated Mr Langat.