Lions on the loose: KWS issues alert to Kajiado residents

The two lions were last seen at Sholinke Trading Centre, approximately 8 kilometres from the park. 

A team of rangers and veterinarians has been dispatched to track and capture the lions.

“KWS rangers are on site...The operation is ongoing, with public safety as the top priority,” the notice added.

As the operation continues, KWS is urging residents in surrounding areas to remain cautious. Members of the public have also been advised to stay away from the Sholinke area and keep children indoors.

Not the first time

This escape is not a rare occurrence in the park's history and raises questions about the measures in place to prevent such incidents from happening again. Last January, KWS rangers in Rongai captured a stray lioness that had been killing dogs and terrorising residents.

CCTV footage from a local showed the lioness moving through residential areas and hunting dogs. Footage of the animal scaling walls and snatching a pedigree dog from a private residence near Nazarene went viral on social media platforms.

It was later captured on Sorora Drive, Kajiado North, after weeks on the loose.

Upon seizure, it was found to have sustained injuries, thought to have been from attacks by residents. The KWS veterinary team administered treatment and it was reintroduced to Nairobi National Park.

The lioness, which had been roaming Rongai for a while, was just the third to be captured that January. 

As the only wildlife park situated within a city, the Nairobi National Park presents significant challenges that contribute to human-wildlife conflicts.

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