KWS rangers shoot dead stray lion after attacking man

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) rangers on Wednesday shot dead a stray lion after it had attacked and injured a man in Isinya, Kajiado County in southeast of Nairobi.

KWS Spokesman Paul Gathitu said the wildlife agency had deployed its officers to capture a stray lion which had been sighted in the area. Earlier, the locals had caused commotion which forced the lion to attack a motorcycle rider in the area.

"The commotion caused by the residents who had gathered in the area agitated the lion and in the process injured one person. This incident forced our rangers to shot dead the lion," Gathitu told Xinhua by telephone.

He said the KWS teams ended up taking the extreme measure on account of the animal's aggressive behaviour.

Gathitu said the wild cat believed to have wandered out of Nairobi National Park on Tuesday night was seen in Isinya Plains near County Resort, some 15km south of the park.

"We are still waiting for the carcass so that we can be able to identify the specific lion," Gathitu added.

The residents said the wild cat was shot at least six times by the rangers who said they had no option other than bring it down.

The injured man was rushed to hospital with multiple injuries, but in KWS confirmed that he was in stable condition.

"Our rangers did not have a choice but to kill the lion, after locals cornered it prompting the lion to detect danger," he added.

It is not clear if the animal had originated from the nearby Nairobi National Park. This was the fourth such incident in which lions are straying from the national park. Last week, another wild cat injured an elderly person along Nairobi.

Some livestock farmers have been killing stray lions in a bid to protect their herds. In other cases, frightful residents have reported sightings of the wild cats in their gardens.

The latest incident disrupted movements of people along the busy road with most residents staying indoors for fear of being mauled by the lions. Endit