Kenyans protest after roaming elephants kill four people in a week

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Some Kenyans on Wednesday protested after roaming elephants killed four people over the past week in what experts describe as human–wildlife conflict driven by scarcity of vegetation.

One elephant believed to have killed two people was shot dead in Kajiado County. The Kenya Wildlife Service urged calm and restraint.

“Preliminary observations indicate that the elephant involved had injuries consistent with spears and arrows, pointing to a possible prior confrontation,” the service said in a statement.

Residents have reported an increase in the number of elephants roaming the Ole Tepesi area of Kajiado County, which experts attribute to competition for resources. Kenya has had below-average rainfall during the ongoing short rains season.

Local authorities said the latest victim was a man attacked by an elephant while herding goats on Tuesday.

The Kenya Wildlife Service pledged to “strengthen prevention measures, improve early response and reduce the risk of future incidents.”

Kenya’s government runs a compensation program under which thousands of people injured or killed by wild animals have received millions of Kenyan shillings over the years.