This archive report was first published on 14 May 2020.
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officials are facing a daunting task as rising water levels in Lake Victoria force wild animals to migrate into homes near the shores, escalating human-wildlife conflicts.
According to KWS records, the number of human-wildlife conflict cases has increased to 300 in the past three months, with over 100 domestic animals killed and huge chunks of crop fields destroyed.
Residents living around Dunga in the outskirts of Kisumu town are bearing the brunt of floods and attacks by wild animals. One victim, Ken Abura, fled his home after finding a huge hippo bathing in waters that had flooded his compound.
Samson Onyango, a resident of Kapuothe area, claimed to have lost 10 acres of his maize crop plantation to hippos. He reported the matter to KWS, which promised to compensate him for the loss.
Another victim, Ali Juma, protested the slow-paced compensation from KWS. He claimed that even after reporting several attacks on his family by wild animals, no action had been taken.
On May 14, 2020, KWS officials confirmed that two people had been attacked and killed by hippos and crocodiles within the county in the past two months.
The rising water levels have also forced the closure of one of the best hotels in Kisumu, The Eco Lodge, located inside the Impala Park. This has resulted in huge losses for KWS, with officials estimating that they have lost 30% of their land and tourism sanctuaries.
Deputy Warden for Kisumu County, Joseph Nyongesa, confirmed that the increasing water levels had led to the increase in human-wildlife conflict cases. He added that officials were overwhelmed and desperate on how to rescue residents and their properties.
