Farmer loses six sheep in suspected leopard attack

A farmer in Homa Bay County has incurred loss after a wild animal suspected to be a leopard killed his six sheep.

Dan Akich, a resident of Kakwa Juok village, North Karachuonyo Local in Rachuonyo North Sub-county said he mysteriously lost the animals.

The incident occurred on Wednesday in Akicho's home compound.

Akicho said he had tethered his sheep to graze before the wild animal attacked them. But he was called later that his sheep had died.

"I had tethered my sheep in a well-fenced compound and left home some business elsewhere. Unfortunately, I was later informed on the phone that they had been killed," Akicho said.

When he returned home, he found that the neck of each sheep was broken but their carcasses were not eaten. 

"The carcasses of the sheep were intact but it seems the wild animal sucked their blood only. This makes us suspect they were killed by a leopard because it is a leopard that kills livestock in that manner," Akicho said.

He appealed to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to intervene and eradicate leopards from their village.

"Last year, I lost eight sheep in a similar incident. I appeal to the KWS to eradicate leopards from our village," Akicho said. 

He said the wild animals were causing serious economic drawbacks in the area.

North Karachuonyo Chief Wilson Were confirmed the incident saying they had instructed residents to raise an alarm so that KWS officers can be called to manage the wild animal.

"I have told residents to be alert and inform us if they see the wild animal so that we can call KWS officers to handle it," Were said.

KWS Warden in Homa Bay County Jackson Kibor said they had received a report of what happened and deployed their officers to the scene.