There was a tragedy when a 65-year-old man who had gone to take a bath on the shores of Lake Turkana was killed by a crocodile.
Police said the incident happened on Saturday, April 20 and saw Kharite Loitabwa killed on the spot.
He had gone to the lake for bathing and did not return prompting his relatives to start looking for him.
His body was later found floating in the lake.
Police and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers visited the scene at the lake’s shores and retrieved the body.
Police said most parts of the body had been eaten by crocodiles.
The remaining body was positively identified by the family and later handed over to them for burial as per Islamic rites.
Cases of attacks by the animals are on the rise.
Last week, a 42-year-old man was in hospital after he was attacked by a crocodile on River Ewaso Nyiro, in Bulessa, Isiolo County.
The crocodiles have increased in the area following heavy rains experienced in most parts of the country.
Kara Halkano, aged 42 years was attacked by the crocodile while crossing River Ewaso Nyiro to the other side of the Gafarsa area on Thursday, April 11.
The attack resulted in multiple injuries to the victim before he was rescued and rushed to hospital.
Police rushed the victim to Merti Sub County Hospital where he was undergoing treatment.
Officials have warned locals to be careful while crossing the river as it has many of the animals.
Some of the crocodiles have been swept downstream further spreading the dangers on the river in general.
President William Ruto launched a compensation scheme for damages arising from human-wildlife conflict.
During the launch, Ruto said that in 2022, the compensation claims stood at Sh7 billion for the period 2014-2023.
The government has since paid Sh4 billion. He said the remaining Sh3 billion compensation claims will be paid in the next 60 days.
“The Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife should speed up the verification exercise and work closely with MPs to ensure that the remaining 7,000 families are compensated in the next 60 days,” he said.
Ruto presented a cheque of Sh960 million for victims of human-wildlife conflict across the country.
He said the process of compensation will in future be made easier, saying unnecessary bureaucracy will be eliminated.
“We have also made changes, previously if someone got mauled to death by an elephant, compensation was Sh200,000.
We have now said if a citizen is killed by an elephant compensation is Sh5 million,” Ruto added.
Ruto said that the government would compensate for injuries from wildlife attacks depending on the extent of harm inflicted by the animals up to a maximum of Sh4 million.
Ruto pointed out that the partnership between the government, the private sector, and communities is key in sustaining conservation efforts.
“We must involve the people in conservation because citizens being at the core of every plan ensures sustainability,” said President Ruto.
Officials said the loss of habitat and climate change threatened the number of wild animals the wild and that their future looked “bleak”.
The officials say policies aimed at enabling communities to co-exist with wildlife were vital.
