The Kenya Wild Service has said that its team has discovered the body of one of the Multi-Media University students who was attacked by hyenas on Monday, February 5, night.
The management said through a statement that the rest of the victim’s body was discovered by the Problem Animal Management Unit (PAMU),
This comes as it launched an operation to drive hyenas back into the park from the Rongai residential area of Ole Kasasi.
This comes hours after students from the Multi-Media University blocked Magadi Road for most of the day following the death of one of their colleagues after being mauled by hyenas.
According to the management, the rest of the victim’s body was discovered by the Problem Animal Management Unit (PAMU),
The victim was in the company of two people when hyenas attacked them last night in the Ole Kasasi area, where the other victim sustained injuries and was rushed to hospital for treatment.
“The PAMU team promptly put down one hyena and proceeded to further launch an operation to identify any surrounding hyena dens. The veterinary team accompanying PAMU is investigating the hyena carcass, to ascertain whether they could be infected with rabies or other zoonotic diseases,” KWS said in a statement.
The remains have since been confirmed and family members contacted.
Also read: ‘Talk to it, don’t run,’ How to face a hyena incase of an attack
The residents have also been asked to be vigilant since the southern part of Nairobi National Park is not fenced and is a wildlife migratory corridor.
Also, the team said that it will remain on standby until all hyenas in Ole Kasasi are driven back into the park to enhance the protection of members.
“KWS urges all Kenyans to promptly report any wildlife emergency cases to the nearest KWS office or contact the Service’s 24/7 hotline on 0800 597 000 for immediate intervention.”
Following the incident, KWS said that its senior officers held an emergency meeting with the university’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Maranga and her team as well as OCPD Rongai, where they addressed the agitated students, and KWS outlined mitigation measures taken to contain the hyenas.
The protesting students paralysed the normal floor of traffic along the busy Magadi Road, forcing the police officers to intervene.
Cases of hyenas and the presence of lions in some parts of Ole Kasasi have also been witnessed before as residents’ calls for help from KWS.
