Eight wild buffaloes tragically met their demise after walking into low-lying power lines in western Kenya, as reported by the national wildlife agency on Friday. The incident occurred at the renowned Lake Nakuru National Park, known for its rich diversity of wildlife species, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service.
The unfortunate event was a result of the power lines being positioned close to the ground due to a broken wooden support pole. In response, the country's power distribution company has initiated the replacement process by installing a metallic pole, as confirmed by the wildlife service.
This incident sheds light on the ongoing concerns raised by conservationists regarding the potential hazards posed to wild animals by power lines. In a similar incident in 2021, two giraffes fell victim to electrocution when they inadvertently came into contact with low-lying electric power transmission lines at the Soysambu Conservancy in western Kenya. Conservationists had previously warned about the risks, emphasizing that the advice of experts had been disregarded, resulting in the tragic loss of life.
Furthermore, on the same day, President William Ruto announced plans for the construction of a 62-mile electric fence in Lariak Forest, located in Laikipia county. The primary objective of this initiative is to prevent elephants from encroaching into neighboring farms, thereby mitigating potential human-wildlife conflicts.
