Sunday night, residents of Thiba ward, Mwea West sub-county, Kirinyaga County, enjoyed a rare hippo delicacy after KWS officers shot one in the area.
The stray hippo wandered into the village near the Thiba River and destroyed property, including attacking and injuring a 35-year-old man.
Harrison Njiru was admitted to a local hospital in Ngurubani town and family members say he is responding well to treatment.
Armed with stones and other crude weapons, residents attempted to drive the animal back to its habitat before Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers arrived following a distress call from the area’s assistant chief.
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KWS rangers fired more than 10 shots at the hippo before it gently rolled to the ground. Seizing the opportunity, the locals immediately descended on the animal to butcher it for meat.
Jecinta Wakuthii reported that rice farmers in the area are still tallying their losses, as hippos living along the Thiba River have ravaged acres of their rice fields.
Wakuthii urged KWS to remove all hippos living in the river, noting that more than 5 hippos have been spotted along the banks of the Thiba River.
Here’a video of the incident by NTV Kenya.
