By Maureen Odiwuor and Philip Mwakio
Residents of Kisumu’s Nyalenda B are living in fear following an increase in attacks by pythons.
Vincent Odhiambo said a python on Tuesday ate his cat while people watched after it slipped through the fence of Impala Animal Sanctuary.
“Three weeks ago a neighbour’s chicken was eaten by a different python. It was totally black in colour while this one was black and white,” Odhiambo pointed out.
Area residents now fear that the pythons might attack their children who play near the Impala B’ fence, which is owned by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
Julian Otieno urged KWS to invest in a permanent fence, saying they were not prepared to lose their animals and children to the reptiles.
KWS Senior Warden Tom Hamisi confirmed that the fence was wanting and promised that a permanent one would be built to cover Impala’ B’.
“Just like Impala ‘A’ we have plans of constructing a permanent fence by November to avoid wildlife-human conflict,” said Mr Hamisi.
Meanwhile, KWS has assured tourism stakeholders that wildlife is safe.
Speaking when he addressed the 10th edition of the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers national symposium in Kwale, KWS Director Julius Kipng’etich said that wildlife that roam protected areas were secure.
The theme of this year’s symposium that ended at the Leisure Lodge Beach and Golf Resort on Tuesday was “Tourism leading the way towards Vision 2030”.
“KWS rangers are alert. We have fixed the problem that occurred at Kitengela near Nairobi where we lost six lions and assure that such killings will not occur,’’ he said.
