Village in fear after hippos attack, destroy crops and injure cows

Residents of Koboo village in Rachuonyo North sub county are counting their losses after a rogue hippopotamus invaded the village on Saturday night, destroying crops and attacking and seriously injuring three cows.

Several acres of crops were destroyed during the attack by hippos believed to be from a number of beaches surrounding the Sub Location, including Lwasi, Oyaore, Remo, and Kobiero beaches, leaving area farmers with significant losses.

During the Saturday midnight incident, a bloat of hippos assaulted and wounded three cows at the homestead of Lwasi Beach Management Unit chairperson George Akello, according to assistant chief of Koredo Sub location David Okiki Opere.

According to Opere, after attacking the cows, the rogue hippos moved on to other homesteads, invading maize plantations and severely damaging the crops of more than five farmers in the region.

He claims that they are now fleeing in fear of the increased number of hippos in the area, claiming that the area farmers have been rendered powerless and that the destruction may result in a poor harvest.

As a result, the administrator has pleaded with the government, through the Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS), to find a way to keep the rogue hippos from wreaking more havoc.