Kenya: He Fought a Hyena to Rescue Brother

The Nation (Nairobi)

4 June 2008
Posted to the web 4 June 2008

Macharia Mwangi
Nairobi

It's an act of bravery that few could have the courage to attempt. But 12-year-old Ndugai Masaine wrestled with a rogue hyena that had attacked his younger brother.

Twelve-year-old Ndugai Masaine and his brother, Salao Masaine, who are recovering at Mt Longonot Hospital. They were attacked by a hyena at Kedong.


The animal turned on him and almost severed his right hand, but he stood his ground and subdued the nocturnal creature, forcing it to escape.

At the tender age, his heroic acts are now the talk in his sleepy village in Suswa as he and his brother recuperate at a private hospital.

"He is surely a hero and deserves all the accolades that go with the act of heroism," commented a woman at the hospital precincts.

Following the traditions in their Masaai land, the two were out in the field herding the family's cattle and enjoying every bit of it.

Area is infested

Tired and haggard after a long day scaling hills and valleys in search of green grass for their beloved animals, the two boys decided to retire into a makeshift cowshed to catch a nap.

"We decided to sleep in the dangulo (makeshift hut) to ensure the safety of the animals since the area is infested with beasts," said Masaine.

At around midnight, the unexpected happened. A pack of hyenas emerged from the nearby bushes and disturbed their sleep.

The limping animals, known more for their cowardice in tales and folklores, than for anything else were in their characteristic chuckling mood.

At first, the two boys did not suspect anything amiss and continued to sleep. The goats in the shed became restless. This forced the boys to wake up and find out what was happening.

Two goats lay dead after being attacked by the hyenas. It was a moment of reckoning for the youngsters.

They could not watch as their animals were killed one by one.

Before they could act, one of the hyenas turned on the 10-year-old Salao Masaine and wrestled him to the ground. It attacked him ferociously, dragging him around the cage as it attempted to flee.

Animal's throat

Sensing danger, Masaine knew any further delay would surely spell doom for his younger brother, who was now wailing for help. With his frail frame, he took hold of the ungainly animal's ears, rescuing his sibling who was now writhing in pain on the ground.

Being around midnight, it was almost impossible to clearly locate the animal, but Masaine fought on, knowing any let-up would have disastrous consequences on both of them.

"I thrust my right hand into the animal's throat in attempt to choke it," said Masaine, twisting his face in obvious pain.

Luckily, the animal found an opening and dashed for it, with Masaine in hot pursuit, determined to kill it.

Despite the searing pain, the two brothers waited for several hours before help could finally come early the following morning.

"We bled profusely, but there was no way we could get help as our seniors were sleeping kilometres away," says the boy.

Another boy who was in the same shed with Masaine and his younger brother Salao was also attacked, but suffered minor bruises.

Sustained scars

Mr Jared Onchari, a nursing officer in charge of Mt Longonot Hospital, said the two minors were out of danger and were responding well to treatment.

"The 10-year-old suffered severe injuries on the thighs, and had also sustained scars on his head," he said.

The two, he added, were frail when they were first brought in, adding that the 12-year-old broke his thumb and sustained finger injuries.

The siblings, the medic said, suffered deep cuts and had to undergo some constructive surgery.

"We will be also administering anti-rabies doses as we are unsure whether the hyenas were suffering from rabies," said Mr Onchari.

Speaking at the hospital, their brother Goligor Masaine said the two had been herding the animals with their seniors, who were sleeping in a different shed.

"They had been out in the field for sometime taking care of the animals before the misfortune struck," he said.

He was full of praise for his younger brother who battled the animal, saying he was now a local hero. "His act of bravery helped save the life of Salao," he said.

The latest incident occurs barely a year after a similar attack on a flower farm and hotel worker in the South Lake area.

The two victims were treated for several days following an attack by the animals.

One was attacked at the hotel precincts, moments after reporting for work, while the flower farm worker was attacked while having siesta inside his house.

The act caused fear and despondency among the locals, who rarely dared to venture out during the night.

Speaking to the Press at the hospital, the officer in charge of Hell's Gate National Park, Ms Lydia Kisoyan, regretted the incident terming it as unfortunate.

Her department, she said, had launched investigations.


"We are trying to establish how the animals attacked the youngsters as they are not known to be fierce," she said.

She said her department was tracking down the animals and was hopeful they would capture them as they have laid a trap on their preferred pathway.

Ms Kisoyan said the incident happened deep inside the vast ranch, estimated to be 80,000 hectares.

There are those who state that the writings of PHC are ripe with embellishment of the actual danger of life in the African bush. The mention of hyenas taking a bite out of drunken sleepers after an all night beer drink is one such example that comes to mind.

I guess this testifies to the fact that it does indeed occur, if not in the prevelance that PHC would lead us to believe, at least occasionally.

That's quite a story and a real act of bravery and courage for sure. Thanks for posting.