How Hyenas Posing Threat To Juja Residents Were Captured In KWS Operation

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) announced on Sunday, December 31 that its officers managed to capture a hyena in Juja, Kiambu County.

KWS explained in a statement how they managed to execute the capture of the second hyena, approximated to be four years old, at Kimincha Farm where it was found.

The operation christened Ondoa Fisi, was achieved through the use of a predator trap set in the area within the populous sub-county.

"The ongoing KWS operation, Ondoa FISI, in Juja Sub County managed to capture the second hyena, marking the second capture in less than a week.

Hyena captured at Kimincha Farm in Juja, Kiambu County. /KWS

"The capture was achieved using a predator animal trap that had been set in the area. The captured hyena, a sub-adult of approximately 4 years of age, was found at Kimincha Farm in Juja, Kiambu County," stated KWS.

Since the launch of the operation, the KWS has deployed four predator traps in the area and established three mobile teams to enhance safety and security.

Plans were underway to translocate the captured hyena to a national park, away from settled areas.

Operation Ondoa Fisi was launched following complaints from people in the area regarding the wild animals terrorising the residents, some of which have been responsible for nightmare attacks on people near human settlements.

Earlier in December, angry residents of Nyacaba village in Juja sub-county blocked a section of Thika Road and stopped police officers from collecting the body of a middle-aged woman who was mauled to death by suspected hyenas.

It was believed that the woman was walking from Nyacaba village to Ndarugu coffee plantation when she was attacked by the animals.

The residents demanded that the police hunt down the hyenas before collecting the body, stating “The police often come to collect bodies but leave us with the problem of the hyenas. Today we have decided they are not collecting the body unless they hunt down the hyenas as well. We are tired.”

The body of the woman was lying at the scene, 10 metres away from the road connecting Nyacaba and the busy Thika road when the protests ensued.

Another group of residents also blocked the Thika Superhighway on both sides in the Ndarugu area, protesting the attacks by killer wild animals. 

The corporation launched approaches to prevent and manage human-wildlife conflicts, in consideration of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, of 2023. 

“These include erection of wildlife barriers, mapping of hot spot areas for strategic deployments, translocation of problem animals, use of Collars, especially on endangered species for monitoring, and conservation education,” KWS stated. 

Cases of wildlife-human conflicts have been on the rise, increasing the compensation burden on the state.

In September, the government set aside Ksh1.1 billion this year to compensate victims of human-wildlife conflict.

Kenya Wildlife Service van transporting captured hyenas in Juja, Kiambu County. /KWS