County Director for Tourism and Wildlife, Margaret Ayabei, has called on the county residents to report within 24 to 48 hours incidences of any presence of roaming wild animals that pose danger to their lives and livestock.

Cases of human-wildlife conflicts are now on the rise due to drought that push wild animals out of their habitats in search of water and prey for food.

Speaking on Monday after visiting Cheptabach village, Songoliet sub-location in Megun Ward together with Kenya Wildlife Service wardens following public reports that a wild animal had preyed on livestock in that area.It was also noted that the residents had killed two wild animals, a Serval cat and a Mongoose.Ayabei urged the villagers not to consume such animals or any attacked animal because they could be carriers of zoonotic diseases thus not safe for human consumption.

In partnership with KWS, we will conduct sensitization in the villages to create awareness on how to manage problem animals and again educate residents on procedures to be taken once livestock have been killed by the suspected wild animal species in the future” added Ayabei

Aiyabei added that: “as a county we are mandated to protect all wildlife species that inhabit our ecosystems and that any one found to have killed the same shall be arrested and prosecuted”.

The KWS wardens who were present noted that they will lay a trap to capture the animal soon.Mr Wechuli,KWS warden asked the residents to monitor the movements of the wild animals to ascertain their home ranges so that they can be trapped and taken back to their natural habitats. The Serval cat is reported to have killed over 10 goats, sheep and a cow.