Residents of Qubi Bagasa in Marsabit have raised concern over rising cases of attacks from wild animals straying from Marsabit national park.
The residents claimed that three people had been attacked and injured by a leopard which has been preying on their livestock in the past two months.
Addressing journalists at Marsabit town on Saturday, the residents led by Katelo Qampare said the latest incident in which two people were wounded by the marauding leopard happened on Monday night.
Qambare said, “those attacked and seriously injured by the animal are my two sons aged 19 and 8 years respectively. Another man, 25, was attacked and injured by the same leopard earlier on.”
He said local residents were living in fear and called for intervention from the government, adding that it was necessary for the Kenya Wildlife Service to move with speed and resolve the human-wildlife conflict.
“Our pleas to Jardesa community wildlife conservancy management for assistance has been in vain,” he said.
Marsabit national park deputy senior warden, Paul Wambi said the organization takes seriously the issue of human-wildlife conflict and that action would be taken.
Wambi while appreciating the support KWS has been getting from local communities noted that no single incident of poaching or killing of wild animals had been reported in the area for more than a year now.
He noted that the government values the existing good relations with communities that neighbour wildlife conservation areas not only for the protection of the heritage but also the implementation of socio-economic dimension projects.
The warden said as has been the case in previous incidents where such cats stray into areas of human settlement, a trap to capture the leopard would be set.
Wambi thanked the local community for their support in the conservation of wildlife and urged for patience as the matter was being addressed.