[Dr. Antony Mogaka a medic at Garrissa Nursing Home who attended to Nathir, speaking to the press outside the hospital that Nathir is currently receiving treatment.] (Photo/Victor Wanaswa)]Two stray lions attacked and seriously injured a herder and killed nine camels in Baraki ward, Lagdera constituency Garrissa County as he attempted to scare them away from his camel shed.
But it was too little too little as by the time they managed to scare them the lions had already mauled 9 of his camels.
Nathir Hassan, 35 years old, was awoken by commotion in the camel’s shed at around 11.30 pm, forcing him to get out and find out what was happening.
Speaking to the press from his hospital bed at the Garissa nursing home where he admitted this morning Nathir said that while he tiptoed and flashing his torch to see was causing the commotion, the one of the lions bounced on him sending him tumbling on the ground.
“I shouted for help from my colleague who was following me from behind. If it was not for his quick response and intense clobbering on the lion, we could be talking of a different story today,” Nathir said.
“We had similar experiences before where the lions killed the camels and never feasted in their flesh,” said one of the relatives to Nathir and also a herder.
According to Antony Mogaka a medic who attended to the Nathir, the victim sustained serious injuries on his left arm and thigh.
“Although he sustained serious injuries and lost a lot of blood due to bleeding, he was stable and out of danger,” Mogaka said.
Efforts to get in touch with Garissa County Warden Polycarp Okuku who had been informed about the incident failed as his phone was switched off.
However officers from his office took statements from the victim and his relatives about the incident.
Abdullahi Abass, a relative of the victim said that they will seek compensation from KWS who are mandated to keep the wildlife away from human settlement.
Abass said that there are several cases of livestock death that have gone unreported. He blamed the escalation of the human wild- life conflict to the worsening drought situation ravaging the region.