Two wildlife rangers hurt in elephant attack
The two were attacked during an operation to drive out the animals from residential areas on Christmas eve. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The elephants have been marauding in parts of Sagalla village for the last two days, posing danger to the residents.
- At the same time, the body of a KWS ranger who recently went missing in the Chyullu Hills National Park was found in the area on Tuesday.
Two Kenya Wildlife Service rangers are nursing serious injuries at the Moi Referral Hospital in Voi after they were attacked by elephants at Kajire in Taita-Taveta County.
County Commissioner Kula Hache said Samuel Wandera and Ismail Mohamed were attacked during an operation to drive out the animals from residential areas on Christmas eve.
“Several rangers were involved in the operation and two of them were seriously hurt,” said Mrs Hache. “The injured rangers are out of danger, though one needs specialised treatment.”
DANGER
Mrs Hache said the elephants have been marauding in parts of Sagalla village for the last two days, posing danger to the residents.
She warned the villagers against attempting to drive out the animals, saying the rangers were on the ground to move them back into a park in the area.
At the same time, the body of a KWS ranger who recently went missing in the Chyullu Hills National Park was found in the area on Tuesday.
The middle-aged man was reported missing on Saturday after he entered the park, where he worked, through the Soto gate near Kaunguni village in Makueni County.
Colleagues failed to reach him on the phone or radio.
This prompted a search within the park. The body was found six kilometres from the park’s entrance, according to Ms Constance Mwasho, the KWS head in the county.
Ms Mwasho said the ranger had been trampled to death by elephants.
“Elephants attacked the officer as he returned to the Soto Camp,” Ms Mwasho told the Nation on the phone.
