By Obegi Malack
Cases of human-wildlife conflict in Kimana town, Kajiado South Constituency have been on the increase due to the ongoing drought and in the latest incident, Baboons invaded Kimana Girls Secondary School stealing food from stores and items from the school dorms.
The hungry baboons outnumber the school workers who tried to prevent them from accessing the school and salvage items that they (baboons) had stolen.
The school’s Senior Principal, Catherine Mwaniki, said the wild animals attacked the girls in their dormitories as they scavenged for food.
She further said that the baboons snatched students’ foodstuff, clothes and also destroyed the school farm.
“The students cannot leave the dormitories open during the day because the baboons go inside and leave a trail of destruction,” Mwaniki said.
The baboons, numbering around 200 visit the school, which houses 600 girls, every day and the administration is overwhelmed feeding students and the baboons as well.
The principal appealed for support from Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) for an electric peripheral fence, to keep the girls safe from the daily attacks.
The school is located a few kilometers from Tsavo – Amboseli wildlife corridor and often receives wild animals such as elephants that have caused damage in farms and water tanks.
The wildlife destruction has contributed to hunger in the region, the ongoing drought has also left thousands of Kajiado County residents in the grips of a dire hunger crisis.
