Two herders injured in elephant attack in Garissa, residents appeal for KWS intervention
By Issa Hussein |
KWS official urged herders to avoid provoking or approaching the elephants to prevent further injuries or fatalities.
Two herders from Lagdera Constituency in Garissa County were admitted to Madogashe Sub-County Hospital on Monday after being attacked by stray elephants, believed to have wandered from Kora and Meru National Parks.
Mohamed Ibrahim, 31, and his brother Hassan Ibrahim, 29, were attacked by two elephants while herding their livestock in the Serbi area, near Madogashe town.
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Residents, led by the area Member of Parliament, Abdikadir Mohamed, on Tuesday appealed to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) for urgent intervention to control the two aggressive bull elephants, which were still roaming the pasturelands in Lagdera Sub-County.
Speaking in Madogashe town, where he was consoling the injured brothers, the MP said the incident, which occurred on Sunday, had caused widespread panic among the local community, who now fear further attacks from the elephants.
"We need the Kenya Wildlife officers to respond immediately to our plea before more people are killed by these stray elephants," he said.
The MP noted that this was not the first incident. In early September, in the Togdub, a stray elephant killed a herder, identified as Khalif Jellow Qase, along with some of his goats during a similar attack.
The MP further claimed that locals had reported the presence of two stray lions a week ago in the ILAN area of Lagdera.
He suggested that the stray wild animals are believed to have come from the neighbouring Meru and Kora National Parks.
Hassan Abdi, a community elder, said the stray elephants and lions were causing fear among herders, as large numbers of them were grazing their livestock in areas where the wildlife had been spotted.
"We have already lost one person to an elephant attack, and two others are hospitalised. We urgently need KWS to intervene before more lives are lost to attacks from these aggressive animals," he said.
Jacob Ilo Orahle, the Garissa County Senior Warden for KWS, confirmed the elephant attack and said he had visited the area to respond to the situation.
"The two bulls, which we suspect came from Kora and Meru National Parks, have since crossed towards Isiolo County. We are still monitoring the situation and have instructed community conservancy groups and local chiefs to report any further sightings," he said.
He also urged herders to avoid provoking or approaching the elephants to prevent further injuries or fatalities.
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