Jumbos destroy water tanks, fences in Kajiado schools

Author(s)

Kurgat Marindany, The Star 

Date Published
See link for photo.
 
Marauding elephants on Saturday night descended on a school in the Kajiado South sub-county, bringing down its fences.

The unknown number of the Jumbos also destroyed trees before descending on grown seedlings at Enchoro Enkai Primary School.

This happened two days after jumbos invaded Loolakir Primary School and damaged water pipes, tanks, and the fence as they looked for what to feed on.

Residents of Kimana in Loitokitok claim that there is an increased Human-wildlife conflict in areas where agricultural activities take place because of the availability of water.

Isaac Sayioki, a businessman and farmer in Kimana said on Sunday that elephants have been destroying crops on their farms, as well as pipes and tanks in homes.

“This has made the local people view elephants as enemies of development than tourist attractions in their areas,” he told the Star.

Sayioki said that every season there is drought, wild animals from Amboseli National Park move out into the farms in search of water and grazing.

He appealed to the Kenya Wildlife Service to take action on the jumbos that he says have become a threat to human lives in Kimana and the surrounding areas.

“Our children are at risk walking to school in the morning and while returning in the evening. KWS should act fast to curtail the movement of jumbos in human settlement areas,” added Sayioki.

The businessman also appealed to KWS to provide school guards within the Amboseli ecosystem with firecrackers that they can use in scaring the jumbos away.

Other farmers around Kimana also complained about the invasion on their farms by warthogs, zebras, and wildebeests.