Iltilal, Kajiado County — A deadly wildlife attack has left a trail of devastation in the Maa community, after 48 goats and sheep belonging to herder Joshua Sianka Odupoi were killed by lions and hyenas on Sunday night.
The incident occurred along the border of Iltilal village and Tsavo West National Park, an area increasingly plagued by human-wildlife conflict. According to local residents, the predators struck under the cover of darkness, breaching traditional livestock enclosures and slaughtering the animals in a matter of hours.
“This is a heartbreaking loss,” said Odupoi, who described the attack as the worst he has witnessed in his decades of herding. “I woke up to find my entire flock gone. It’s not just animals—it’s my livelihood.”
Local leaders and conservation groups are now calling for urgent intervention from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), citing a rise in predator incursions into community grazing lands. Residents say the lack of effective fencing and patrols has left them vulnerable to repeated attacks.
The Tsavo ecosystem, home to some of Kenya’s most iconic predators, has long been a flashpoint for conflict between wildlife and pastoralist communities. Conservationists warn that without sustainable coexistence strategies, retaliatory killings and habitat degradation could escalate.
