Nakuru: Scare As Stray Hippo From Lake Elementaita Mauls Man To Death

• A hippopotamus based around Gilgil's Lake Elementaita mauled a male passerby on Wednesday, May 22
• The animal, which had trespassed out of its habitat, posed a great danger to the community around the lake, prompting action from the Kenya Wildlife Service
• KWS rangers shot the animal to death after it proved stubborn; the locals watching from a distance were denied game meat

Kai Eli, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Operatives from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) killed a hippopotamus after a tragic incident on Wednesday, May 22.

According to reports, the rogue animal domiciled around Lake Elementaita in Gilgil mauled a man to death.

Why hippo was shot dead in Gilgil

KWS rangers showed up at the scene, perhaps to drive the animal back, but its unrest overpowered them.

The hippo's conduct prompted the rangers to open fire at it with the aim of killing it.

They succeeded in felling it with bullets.

Video; courtesy

Locals denied game meat

Meanwhile, the onlookers following the events from a distance later milled around the animal to have a cut of the game meat.

The rangers, however, denied the opportunity.

They carted the carcass out of the scene, leaving the disappointed locals lamenting.

"We eat this. They are always knocked, and we eat their meat. This would not be the first one. We have feasted on many of them," said a local.

Video; courtesy

Compensation for victims of human-wildlife conflict

In the meantime, the Kenya Kwanza government restated its commitment to avert human-wildlife conflict.

President William Ruto said the move is aimed at enhancing tourism and guaranteeing the coexistence of nature and communities living near parks.

During the commissioning of the Lariak Forest Wildlife Electric Fence and the launch of the Human-Wildlife Conflict Compensation Scheme in Rumuruti in April this year, Ruto said the government would pay victims of attacks by wild animals.

He revealed that, unlike previous years, the national government had increased the compensation amount.

He said the constitution had been amended so that victims could receive KSh 5 million, up from KSh 200,000.

Proofreading by Otukho Jackson, a multimedia journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke