A 14-year-old girl was killed by a lioness on April 19 after being taken from her residential compound on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) confirmed the death, saying the child was snatched from her compound on a ranch next to Nairobi National Park, BBC reports. Another teenager witnessed the attack and quickly raised the alarm.
“KWS rangers and response teams were swiftly mobilized and traced bloodstains leading to the Mbagathi River, where the girl’s body was recovered with injuries on the lower back,” the conservation agency said in a statement “The lion was not sighted at the scene.”
KWS has set traps and deployed search teams to capture the animal. The agency said extra security measures have been put in place to prevent further incidents. While human-lion conflicts over livestock are relatively common in Kenya, fatal attacks on people remain rare.
On the same day as the lion attack, a 54-year-old man was fatally injured by an elephant in Nyeri County, 80 miles north of Nairobi. The elephant, which had been grazing in Mere Forest, charged the man, leaving him with severe chest injuries, fractured ribs, and internal trauma.
“KWS conveys its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and continues to work closely with local law enforcement and communities to enhance the safety of people living near protected wildlife areas,” it said in the statement.
The agency is urging enhanced “human-wildlife conflict mitigation,” emphasizing the need for early warning systems and stronger cooperation with impacted communities.
Paula Kahumbu, head of the WildlifeDirect conservation group, wants Kenya Wildlife Service to improve “risk assessments and ensure accurate, real-time communication of wildlife movement and behavior, especially in known high-risk areas such as Savannah Ranch,” where the girl was killed.
Nairobi National Park, located just six miles from the city center, is home to wildlife including lions, buffalo, giraffes, leopards, and cheetahs. The park is fenced on three sides to prevent animals from entering the city, while the southern boundary remains open to allow for animal migration in and out of the area.
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