A 14-year-old girl has tragically died after being taken and killed by a lion at a ranch in Kenya.
The young girl was exploring the south of Nairobi National Park on Saturday, April 19, when she was abducted from a housing area on a ranch, as reported by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
Nairobi National Park hosts a variety of animals, including lions, buffalos, giraffes, leopards, and crocodiles, according to the KWS website.
Due to its proximity to the city center, only six miles away, the park is a highly popular destination for tourists.
The BBC mentions that the park is fenced on three sides to deter wildlife from entering Nairobi city; however, it remains open to the south to allow animals to move freely.
After the lion snatched the girl, another teenager who witnessed the event contacted authorities to alert them, as stated by the agency in a press release.
KWS rangers and response teams were “swiftly mobilized” and followed bloodstains leading to the Mbagathi River, where they retrieved the girl’s body, which had injuries on the lower back.
Although the lion wasn’t seen at the location, KWS has established traps and deployed search teams to locate the predator.
While lions often interact with humans in Kenya, the BBC reports that attacks and fatalities are uncommon.
KWS has implemented additional security measures to prevent a similar incident from happening again.
On a separate occasion on Friday, April 18, a 54-year-old man was killed by an elephant while grazing livestock in a forest in Nyeri County.
KWS reported that the man passed away in the hospital due to fractured ribs, chest injuries, and internal trauma.
“KWS conveys its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and continues to work closely with local law enforcement and communities to enhance the safety of people living near protected wildlife areas,” the agency stated.
According to CNN, the conservation agency emphasized the significance of “continued investment in human-wildlife conflict mitigation – through strategic interventions, early warning systems, and strengthened collaboration with affected communities” following both incidents.
Paula Kahumbu, the head of the WildlifeDirect conservation group, has urged KWS to enhance “risk assessments and ensure accurate, real-time communication of wildlife movement and behavior, especially in known high-risk areas such as Savannah Ranch” where the teenager was killed, as reported by the BBC.
She also suggested that lodges, camps, and other residential areas should incorporate “anti-predator deterrent systems – including lights, alarms, secure fencing, and anti-predator sprays.”