Girl, 11 fights for dear life at hospital after hyena attack

11-year-old Ripali Lenerpita undergoes treatment at Nakuru Level Five hospital after being wounded by a hyena. [Mercy Kahenda, Standard]

An eleven-year-old girl is fighting for her life at Nakuru Level Five hospital after she was attacked by a hyena while herding livestock at Opiroi village in Samburu County.

Ripali Lenerpita sustained deep bites on her face, cheeks, jaw, neck, head and limbs following the Friday evening attack.

The minor was in pain and could not hear and see clearly when she was brought to the hospital for specialized treatment.  Her body was swollen.

The hospital head of clinician services Joseph Keriyo said that though the girl was received while bandaged and dressed up, she was in a critical condition.

She was provided with antibiotics and fluids to stabilize her condition on admission done on Friday at around 9pm.

“The girl was received in a very critical condition and had facial injuries mostly on the cheeks and eye lids. Because of injuries on the eyes, she cannot see,” said Keriyo.

Different doctors reviewed Lenerpita's condition including general doctor, maxillofacial surgery doctor and ophthalmologist doctor during admission.

“After several reviews, the patient was taken to theater for reconstruction of her face among other body parts that were severely injured by hyena bites,” said the clinical officer.

The facility also administered ant rabies vaccine to the girl, to prevent her from getting diseases and infections acquired from wild animals.

Yesterday, Lenerpita' s father, Peter Lokor, told The Standard that she was bitten by hyena while herding livestock in the thickest vegetation in the village.

Lokor said the girl was together with her mother, who was too attacked while trying to rescue her from the wild animal.

The mother sustained injuries on her stomach, head and limbs.

“The girl was grazing my livestock together with her mother when a hyena attacked and wounded them. They were bleeding profusely and had swollen faces,” said the father.

Locals who heard the two cry for help rushed to the scene and hunted for the hyena and killed it.

"The hyena was so wild, it wounded my wife while she was rescuing my daughter and further attacked a man who came for their rescue," said Lokor.

According to locals, prolonged drought is forcing wild animals to stray into residential home, an issue they say, requires amicable solution.

Maralal location Chief Selina Lemakara urged Kenya Wild Services (KWS) to find a way of ensuring that people are safe.