Wildlife-human conflict is real in Kenya . During my Nairobi-Marsabit elephants grassroots campaign that took 32 days, I had an opportunity to hold a community meeting at Karare in Marsabit. It is here that I was introduced to this gentleman who was attacked and disfigured by a Hyena while working in his farm in 2013. The local chief and leaders were kind enough to inform me of similar incidences in the same area that this man was attacked where a Hyena had killed a child and badly injured a woman and in turn it was later killed by local communities.
Since 2013, a Wildlife Management and Conservation Act was enacted in Kenya that seek to compensate loss, injuries and death caused by wildlife with specifications. This Act has taken more than enough time to be implemented pending the formulation of regulations among other management structures. Managing this issue still remains a big challenge in Kenya looking at distribution of wildlife in Kenya and the occurrence of some conflicts and demand an attentiveness in managing this holistic manner .
Several surveys have proved that predations happen during the night with some strangely during daytime. Some organizations, such as Born Free Foundation Kenya, are implementing a program in mitigating the predation cases called “ Lion proof Bomas” in Amboseli which has reduced this conflict in a big way. It may look very unrealistic for the government to compensate all the communities in this category, however it would be prudent if they can empower such organizations to move into other afflicted areas and help in constructing the bomas (my thoughts). It’s now 3 years since the Act came into power and looking at the claims pending compensation (not undermining the government) it's not for sure whether they can be compensated effectively, thus, we may need to deploy other sustainable solutions in tackling these wildlife conflicts as we investigate on others.
