Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano has directed the removal of all hyenas roaming the Juja area in Kiambu County following the deaths of two children caused by the animals. Describing the current hyena situation in the area as “unacceptable,” the CS has called on the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to take immediate action and ensure the area is free of hyenas by September.
“The hyena menace around Juja area has now reached inadmissible levels. The recent loss of two children in the area to hyenas is so painful to think about,” stated Miano in a statement on Friday.
“I have directed KWS to mop up all hyenas from the Juja area as fast as humanly possible and demonstrate to the residents of the area affected that this will be a thing of the past after September 2024.”
She further directed that the KWS personnel be dispatched to the area to offer 24-hour surveillance and ensure the beasts do not keep mauling residents.
“Meanwhile, I have authorized 24-hour KWS surveillance in Juja area to ensure that no other life is lost forthwith. KWS personnel are on the ground to ensure no more lives are lost to wild animals,” the CS added,
The announcement follows a day of protests by Juja residents after a five-year-old child was killed by hyenas. The boy, the only child in his family, was attacked by a pack of hyenas on Wednesday at around 7 p.m. while running an errand to a nearby shopping center.
Angry over the repeated attacks, residents blocked both sides of Thika Road at Ndarugu, accusing the government and the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) of failing to address the issue. In response, KWS extended their condolences to the family and pledged to tackle the human-wildlife conflict through their newly launched ‘Operation Ondoa Fisi-2.’
“In response to this incident, KWS is intensifying efforts to mitigate human-wildlife conflict in the area. Wildlife management remains challenging, with a significant proportion of wildlife residing outside protected areas, often seasonally,” stated KWS in a statement on Thursday.
“To address the hyena threat, KWS launched Operation Ondoa Fisi-2 on 8th August 2024, following a similar incident in Juja. This operation was a buildup on a previous initiative from November 2023 to tackle rising hyena attacks.”
The State corporation emphasized that through the operation, they had already tracked, captured, and relocated 38 hyenas, sealed 12 quarries used as their hideouts, and deployed teams to manage the situation.
As a result, KWS issued an advisory to residents in the area, urging them to “limit movement at night, properly dispose of waste to avoid attracting hyenas, and avoid tampering with traps set for the animals.”
“A specialized team has been deployed to manage the current situation, with the operation proceeding in two phases: hyena management and community engagement to educate residents on safety measures,” KWS added.
“KWS is committed to working with relevant authorities to address and rehabilitate abandoned quarries within Juja and ensure the safety of all residents.”
