Nyandarua County Commissioner Benson Leparmorijo has associated the recent high deaths among hippos to the increased appetite for hippo meat in the county.Leparmorijo has regretted that ten hippos have been killed in two weeks, with investigations pointing at meat joints that could be creating a market for the illegal trade.
He cautioned those abating the illegal activities, noting that the animals were not poisoned but speared and sliced, for meat as no carcasses were found.He said that the first five were killed while in the water and the rest killed on land.He added that those on land were not on anyone’s farm but seem to have been waylaid to a trap, where they were slaughtered and the meat transported elsewhere for consumption.
He cautioned residents farming and living on Lake Ol bolossats riperian land urging them to move away from the riperian land to allow for grazing land for the animals.He urged the residents bordering the lake to be tolerant and peacefully coexist with the animals, who have been grazing people’s farms for lack of pasture.He at the same time said they were working to fast rack compensation for those who lost their crops to the animals saying it should not be an excuse for you to kill the hippos.