Lioness that killed woman shot

A lioness that killed a woman and ate her remains has finally been shot.

Game rangers killed the animal after nearly a week on its trail at the Laikipia Nature Conservancy. The rogue lioness’ canines had fallen off due to old age.

The rangers said this meant that it was too slow to hunt its usual prey, hence turning to easy alternatives like human beings and livestock outside the conservancy.

It attacked Ms Martha Nduta, 60, in Rubere village, Nyahururu and dragged her into the conservancy.

On Sunday, Ms Kuki Gallman, the conservancy’s director, said she was glad that the lioness had finally been killed.

At the same time, a man suspected to have killed four leopards within the Aberdare National Park was on Sunday arrested by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) rangers at Kinamba village in Kinangop.

The rangers recovered four leopard skins from the man. The rangers, in plainclothes, approached him saying they were interested in buying game trophies. They pounced on him when he led them to where the skins were.

The KWS warden in charge of Nyandarua region, Mr Peter Lekeren, said the leopards had gone missing, prompting a search within Kinangop area.

He said several snares were found within the park as KWS officers sent out informers seeking information on the poachers involved in the trade.

This led KWS rangers to Kinamba area where the suspect was arrested. “We want him to lead us to his accomplices as we seek to smash the poaching menace in this area,” he said.

He will be taken to court after investigations are complete. Mr Lekeren added that efforts to conserve the Aberdare ecosystem could be greatly compromised if the poachers were allowed to continue vandalising the recently erected Sh750 million electric fence around the national park.

He said rangers were vigilant round the clock and anyone found destroying the fence will face the law.