Kenya Wildlife Service initiated a search operation to arrest the lion, which is still on the loose. Traps have been laid, putting in place extra security measures to avoid further occurrences.
In a dramatic accident, a 14-year-old girl was mauled to death by a lion on the outskirts of Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, officials said on Sunday. The lion is suspected to have strayed out of Nairobi National Park and into a residential compound where the attack took place, CNN reported.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) says the girl was accompanied by a friend when the lion pulled her away. Upon her friend raising an alarm, wildlife authorities moved swiftly and tracked bloodstains to the Mbagathi River, where they recovered the body of the girl with deep cuts on her lower back. KWS initiated a hunt operation to apprehend the lion, which is still on the loose. Traps have been laid, introducing extra security precautions to avoid such incidents in future.
Nairobi National Park, which lies only 10 km from the city centre, harbours some wild animals such as lions, cheetahs, leopards, buffalo, and giraffes. Although the park is fenced on three sides, its southern edge is left open to facilitate the migration of animals, yet at times bringing wildlife close to abutting human populations.
The attack has triggered alarm over escalating human-wildlife conflict in the area, though deadly lion attacks are exceptional. Earlier, a 54-year-old man had been killed by an elephant in Nyeri County, some 130 km north of Nairobi.
These consecutive accidents are not uncommon,” conservationist Paula Kahumbu, CEO of WildlifeDirect, said to BBC News. She advocated for improved risk assessment and real-time reporting on wildlife movement, particularly in high-risk areas.
Kahumbu highlighted the need for improving safety structures around lodges and homes close to wildlife habitats. “Anti-predator measures like lights, alarms, secure fencing, and sprays should be compulsory. Prevention is our best line of defence,” she pointed out.
