A 43-year-old farmer from Nyahururu, Laikipia County, has lost his leg after he was attacked by an elephant on his farm on Sunday night.
Mr John Emari had gone to his farm at night to scare away three elephants that had invaded it and were destroying his mature crop when he was attacked.
“I am just lucky to be alive,” he said from his hospital bed at the Nyahururu County Referral Hospital where he is recuperating.
"The animal trampled on my leg once before it walked away.”
His leg was amputated following the incident.
Mr Emari is among many villagers of Silare who keep vigil every night in order to scare away elephants which have become the greatest threat to their farming.
After the attack, Emari was rescued by neighbours who were also out keeping vigil in their shambas and taken to hospital where his right leg was amputated at the knee.
FENCE OFF FOREST
Farmers in Silare are now demanding that the forest next to their farms be fenced off to keep away elephants.
Mr Jackson Lobenyo said apart from being a threat to human beings, the animals destroy their crops when they are about to be harvested.
"The fence has been promised [to us] for many years but nothing has been done," he said when he visited Mr Emari in hospital.
Mr Lobenyo said the Sunday incident was just one of the many that have happened in the area.
"We have witnessed deaths and injuries over the years because we have elephants living in the neighbouring forest," Mr Lobenyo said.
He said human-wildlife conflict is highest when crops are about to be harvested, since that is the time the animals invade farms.
Mr Lobenyo said elephants are fond of mature maize and potatoes.
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