Teen survives lion attack while herding in Kajiado
By Hilary KimuyuA 17-year-old herder was admitted to a local hospital in Kajiado County after a harrowing encounter with a lion on Monday, September 4.
The incident occurred in the Imbirikani area when the teenager attempted to rescue a cow from the jaws of the prowling predator.
The young herder, who remains unnamed, displayed exceptional bravery as he intervened when the lion attacked one of the cows he was tending to. In his courageous attempt to save the cow, he injured his right hand and back when the lion turned its attention to him.
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Local residents in the area have expressed growing concern over the escalating frequency of wild animal attacks in recent times, which has left the community in a state of terror.
Following the lion attack, the injured teenager was promptly rushed to Imbirikani Level Four Hospital for immediate medical attention and treatment.
In May, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) expressed its commitment to improving the coexistence between Kenya’s people and its wildlife.
This statement responded to a series of unfortunate events where herders killed eleven lions in one week.
The lion killings predominantly occurred near national parks in the country, and among the casualties was an iconic 19-year-old male lion named Loonkiito, believed to be one of the oldest wild lions not only in Kenya but in the world.
Loonkiito met his tragic fate after straying from his home in Amboseli National Park for food.
Six other lions were speared to death the same week after leaving the park, having killed 11 goats and a dog in a nearby village within the Mbirikani area.
These incidents led to a wave of retaliatory lion killings, with 11 lions losing their lives in a week.
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In response, Kenyan officials and concerned residents called for a meeting to address the escalating human-wildlife conflict in the region.
The Kenya Wildlife Service explained in a social media statement that the meeting aimed to shed light on “the escalating human-wildlife conflict experienced in the area in the past two days that has resulted in the loss of 11 livestock and retaliatory killing of 11 lions.”
Its central objective was to promote “peaceful and harmonious coexistence between the community and wildlife.”
In their statement, the Big Life Foundation, a conservation group in Kenya, advised that “the situation is being taken extremely seriously by Kenya Wildlife Service” and remains under investigation.
In July, CCTV footage captured a frantic event in Rongai, Kajiado County, after a lioness was spotted loitering outside.
The video showed the female big cat gracefully prowling near the residence along an isolated Murram road and stopping just a few metres from the gate.
The footage, recorded at 2 am on July 17, sent tongues wagging on social media, with the majority of the reactions aimed at the presence of the lioness within the residential area.
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