Rampant elephants shot

2004-08-23 12:36

Nairobi - Rangers from Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) over the weekend killed four elephants that had strayed from a national park and started to destroy crops in villages in central Kenya, police and a KWS official said on Monday.

"Game rangers shot dead four elephants on Sunday in Ngarariga trading centre that we believe had strayed from Aberdares National Park," Kiambu district police commandant Atanasio Munyagia told said.

"One more was captured and KWS officers are planning to return it to the park," he added.

Munyasia explained that the five elephants, which had strayed from the park last week, destroyed crops, fences and other homestead structures, in villages on their way, before KWS rangers arrived and shot them.

"Villagers reported that they either heard or saw the elephants in their villages as early as 05:00 when dogs started barking noisily and livestock ran away from their sheds," he added.

'Elephants were mature'

The elephants were mature as they appeared to weigh well over six tonnes, he explained.

A KWS official confirmed the killing, saying authorities were planning to put up an electric fence around forests surrounding the Aberdares National Park.

"The elephants were shot dead after they turned violent, started trampling on crops, chasing villagers, and destroying huts and any other structure in their sight," said the official, who did not want to be named. He was only aware of the death of three elephants.

The KWS official said the fencing plans were at an advanced stage to fence the park.

"That is the only way to stop the animals from straying from the part and creating problems to the local population," he added.

Villagers feasted on the elephants' meat after rangers removed tusks, Daily Nation newspaper reported.

The killing comes a few months after KWS authorities said they were working to reduce human-wildlife conflict.

- AFP