A herder in Kyuso, Kitui County, lost his life in a devastating incident of human-wildlife conflict.
Ngei Kalungui, 61, tragically died on Saturday after being trampled by a herd of elephants while tending to his livestock on his farm in Mataka village.
According to initial reports, Kalungui suffered immediate fatal injuries during the attack.
Witnesses at the scene recounted seeing a group of four elephants moving through the village just moments before the tragic encounter.
Their presence in human settlements has become an increasingly alarming concern for residents in Kyuso and surrounding areas as cases of human-wildlife conflicts continue plaguing Kitui County as wild animals keep straying from protected areas into communities.
According to reports, local police and the Kenya Wildlife Service(KWS) responded quickly after being notified about the incident.
The officials managed to secure the scene before driving the elephants back towards the nearby Mwingi National Reserve.
The deceased man's body was taken to a mortuary pending a post-mortem examination and further investigations.
Also Read: Govt Releases Compensation to Victims of Human-Wildlife Conflict
Residents of Kitui County have expressed concern that human-wildlife conflict is increasing in the area, with elephants and other animals frequently entering farms and homes near parks and reserves.
Farmers in neighbouring areas such as Mutha, Ndakani and Ngaani have reported repeated elephant incursions, with some losing their crops and livelihoods as a result.
Some farmers reported severe losses after their entire harvests of green grams, millets and sorghums, worth hundreds of thousands of shillings, were destroyed.
The government has announced that it is working on compensation schemes, with billions of shillings already having been paid in partial compensation for wildlife-related damage.
KWS has stated that it is constructing fences and installing watering holes within the parks to prevent animals from straying.
