I survived a buffalo attack

From The Standard
July 26, 2011


Updated 2 hr(s) 11 min(s) ago
By Job Weru

A gory story of a ranger trampled upon and gored by a rogue buffalo five years ago sounds like a scene played out in a Hollywood horror-movie.

Elijah Kariuki, the victim, bears deep scars sustained from an encounter with the beast, a daily reminder of the ill-fated day when death came calling. Now 39, Kariuki a game ranger at Ol’Pejeta Conservancy believes he is lucky to be alive.

"I refer to my experience as an abortive death, after I slipped off a buffalo’s horns and escaped with injuries," says Elijah.

His brave solo fight with the raging buffalo under the hot scorching April sun in 2006 sends rivulets of sweat dripping on other rangers’ faces. It is an event so often told to new rangers in the conservancy that with time, it has been spiced up to sound unreal. But the scars on Elijah’s hands, back and belly are indelible marks, which prove his narrow escape.

He remembers the day he was recalled to replace a colleague who had been attacked by a rogue buffalo two weeks earlier like a bad dream. As usual, he was eager to go to the wild and enjoy the long, but tiring walks in one of the biggest conservancies in Laikipia District.

Elijah was accompanied by three other rangers assigned to monitor rhinos in the ranch, which was also a rearing ground for the State-protected black rhinos. Ol’Pejeta ranch at that time hosted 45 black rhinos, which were and still are declared by the Government as endangered species. It also has a population of more than 200 buffalos among other animals.

On that Friday, Elijah ventured into the plains of Ol’Pejeta ranch with his team in high spirits. For protection, rangers were issued with 306 rifles.

After about 30 minutes of wandering in the bushes and trying to locate and monitor rhinos, they arrived at a bare ground with no trees and were in the process of moving to another site.

Charged beast

"Before we could move, we spotted a dark stump about 50 metres away, but even before we could contemplate what it was, the animal had risen and was running towards us," recalls Elijah.

He continued, "The stump-like object was a rogue buffalo. The beast charged straight at us," said Elijah.

Sensing danger, the other rangers fled. Elijah immediately took his gun and fired at the animal. He missed his target by a whisker. Realising the error , Elijah tried to run but in a split second, the beast set upon him goring him from behind and tossing him in the air like a rug doll in an ordeal that lasted 20 minutes. The menacing beast pushed, bit and trampled on Elijah with its hooves, its hot acrid breath sticking on his skin.

"At one time, I almost choked after I gulped and swallowed a heap of soil, while the scene was so dusty and I was confused," recalls Elijah.

"Even with the enduring pain and tossing and rolling I suffered, I silently prayed and asked God to give me another chance to fend for my wife and four children," says Elijah.

The beast pushed Elijah into the bushes and at that moment, he says it was as if God had given him a chance to survive. Luckily, despite the heavy bleeding, Elijah was still conscious and in a swift reaction, repeatedly stepped on the buffalo’s muzzle.

Deadly horns

Elijah gathered his strength and grasped the firm bushes and fastened his right foot to keep the deadly horns, sharp teeth and the stone-hard muzzle from his body as he continued to kick the beast’s forehead and it worked. The buffalo retreated into the bushes leaving him with deep wounds on the lower left ribs, hip and left thigh. About five minutes after it escaped, a team of rangers arrived after his colleagues called for help from the office. They were able to trace Elijah in a bush where he had crawled to avoid further assault by the buffalo.

He was rescued and taken to Cottage Hospital in Nanyuki, where the doctors conducted two operations and stitched several gaping wounds.

"I was admitted to hospital for more than three weeks until I was able to walk," Elijah concludes. He has since recovered and resumed work, but walks with a slight limp, owing to the injuries.

Wow, sounds like fun.