A family in nyakach, Kisumu county, is mourning the death of their teenage son after he was mauled to death by a hippopotamus in lake victoria.
The incident happened in Sangoburu village in west nyakach. When the incident occurred, the 16-year-old boy was grazing his family's cattle near the lake. Villagers at a distance heard the boy's cries and ran to the scene, but on arrival, the boy was already, and there was very little that they could do.
Fishermen fishing in the lake later found the boy's body floating in the lake. He had injuries sustained from the initial attack. The student's body was transported to a nearby morgue while burial arrangements were made. Locals have urged Kenya Wildlife Service to seek a long-term solution to the ongoing human-wildlife conflict.
This attack comes when the country is experiencing the worst drought in over four decades. Farmers living on the shores of lake victoria are complaining over increased hippo attacks on their farms. The villagers claim that the hippos are invading their farms and munching on their vegetables as they hunt for food.
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Residents complain of increased danger as hippos roam around their homesteads. They used to erect live fences to keep the animals away. Still, those fences are no longer effective in keeping away large animals.
Farmers are requesting help from the government through relevant ministries and departments. The villagers ask the government for small loans to erect bigger fences to keep the animals away. The biting drought has led to a scarcity of fish in the lake, forcing fishermen to turn to farmers.
However, the biting drought has brought the animals out, too, as they seek food. The villagers also complain that the lack has made farming hard, too, as their crops dry. They are asking for the kenya wildlife authority to intervene.
