High Alert On Rogue Hyenas After Face-Off With Villagers

From: All Africa Global Media | Date: 2/6/2007


They may be associated with cowardice in many folktales, but hyenas - like all animals - are dangerous when pushed to the corner. Recent attacks on two people by the "limping" creatures are testimony to that.

The captured hyena

Now residents of Naivasha town are scared of the ungainly carnivals... and they should be. In less than a month, two rogue hyenas have attacked people on the south lake area, seriously injuring them.

The first raid took place on December 13, 2006, within a hotel compound, while the second was on January 7, this year, at May Flowers in Naivasha.

In the first case, a scavenger suspected to be suffering from rabies attacked a hotel worker in the morning. The worker had just reported for duty at Sopa Lodge when he noticed a four-legged beast devouring sofa sets at the resting bay.

Unaware of its ferociousness, he rushed to the scene to scare away the animal and, hopefully, save the posh seats.

Had seriously injuries

But the beast turned on him and mauled him repeatedly as he cried for help. Colleagues who responded to his distress calls killed the animal. The worker escaped with seriously injuries and was rushed to a local private hospital writhing in pain.

Barely a fortnight later, a worker at May Flowers was attacked in the same area by a hyena as he rested in his house after lunch.

Thirty one-year-old George Onyango was having a siesta when the animal emerged from nearby bushes and pounced on him. Moments before, "I had been having my daytime meal with my wife and two siblings. They had just excused themselves and left the house," he says.

Mr Onyango adds that his two children were playing outside the house, unaware that he was under attack.

The door was slightly open and the hyena quickly gained entry. It bit him all over.

At first, he cried for help while fighting off the creature. He thrust his elbow deep into its throat to stop it from biting him further.

Continued the attack

That temporarily gagged the animal. Mr Onyango continued screaming for help. Soon, however, tiredness engulfed him. He removed his elbow from the creature and it continued the attack. Scared and panting, Mr Onyango picked up a stool and engaged the beast in a desperate fight.

Many neighbours who heard his cries did not have the courage to rescue him. "They merely peeped through the window."

But one brave colleague came to his aid. He pulled him from the tight grip of the enraged beast... and suffered bruises and a savage bite on his finger.

He, too, was taken to hospital. He was treated and discharged, while Mr Onyango recuperated for several days at Sher Hospital.

Mr Onyango shudders at the thought that the whole family could have been attacked by the creature had they not excused themselves a few minutes earlier.

He suffered deep scars that will be a stark reminder of his close shave with death.

The animal was later killed by neighbours.

A doctor at the hospital said Mr Onyango suffered soft tissue injuries and a severe bite on his left thumb. He said they were waiting for X-ray reports to ascertain the extent of damage.

The hyena is believed to have been running away from herders, after it feasted on one of their goats on the shores of Lake Naivasha, when it strayed to the farm.

The attack drew angry reactions from locals, who accused the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) of failing to contain marauding beasts.

On several occasions, they said, wild animals had been spotted roaming freely in the vast area bordering Hells Gate National Park.

"We have had to scare away wild animals on our own when they roam into our homes," complained a resident.

The officer in charge of Hells Gate park, Ms Lydia Kisoyan, termed the attacks as isolated cases.

"Hyenas are nocturnal. They are not known to be active during the day," said Ms Kisoyan. She added that the hyenas might have accidentally moved to residential areas to forage for food, but failed to leave at daybreak.

Hard to confine the beasts

She said they were trying to establish whether the two hyenas suffered from rabies. "The tests are going on," she said, adding that KWS personnel responded quickly to distress calls by locals. Being an open park, she noted, it is almost impossible to the confine animals.

Ms Kisoyan cautioned locals against engaging hyenas in fights, believing the animals were spineless. "People should not fall for myths and legends that depict hyenas as weak. They can be very vicious when attacked."

She urged people living near the park to report to KWS officers any wild animal spotted on the loose. Several people have been injured by hippos on the shores of Lake Naivasha in the past.

Hyenas are scavengers that often eat leftovers of other predators. But they are strong and skilled hunters that can bring down wildebeests and antelopes. They also kill and eat birds, snakes, and insects.

They attack humans only when provoked, or cornered. Otherwise, they are peaceful," says Ms Kisoyan.

Experts say when hungry, they can kill even lions. In a neighbouring country, they are said to have killed 10 lions. They have very tough jaws.

Let's see, this story finds itself in Kenya once again. (Remember the jogger story?)
Hmmm..."Unaware of its ferociousness". . .? And, "They attack humans only when provoked or cornered. Otherwise, they are peaceful..." No wonder people are attacked and killed every day throughout the world by WILD ANIMALS.

Have gun, Will travel