A 52-year-old man was attacked and killed by an elephant in an incident in the Vitengeni area, Ganze, Kilifi County.
Kenya
Wildlife Service and police said the incident happened on September 30, 2025, and left one Anderson Suleiman Ngumbao dead within Madamani Forest in Mlima Wa
Ndege area.
The
deceased was cutting logs to burn charcoal in the forest in the company of his
wife when he was attacked. The woman escaped unhurt.
She told
police the animal pursued the man and caught up with him a few meters ahead before
trampling him to death.
The
body, which had multiple injuries, was moved to the mortuary pending other
procedures, police said.
Officials said this is the latest case of human-wildlife conflict in the country. At least two such incidents are reported in a month in the country, in a worrying trend and which shows the issue is worsening.
Locals have been
threatening to attack the wild animals in retaliation, which threatens the tourism
industry at large.
It has
forced officials to launch operations to among others relocate some of the
animals behind the incidents to other places for their safety and that of the
locals.
The incidents
have been worsened by shrinking resources, which forces both humans and the wild
animals to venture into the available spaces for survival.
Some locals near the animal parks have even been poisoning them in retaliation.
In May 2025, Kenya introduced the third phase of its Human–Wildlife Conflict Compensation Programme, an initiative aimed at addressing these incidents and supporting affected families.
During its launch at Meru National Park, President William Ruto unveiled the innovative Wildlife Conservation Card, a new tool designed to help fund conservation efforts.
“Compensation is justice, but prevention is progress,” Ruto said, emphasizing the need for long-term solutions that benefit both people and wildlife.
“Through the Conservation Card, fencing, and community‑led tourism, we are turning conflict into opportunity,” he added.
Developed in partnership with KCB Bank, the Wildlife Conservation Card is available in three tiers—Platinum (Elephant), Gold (Lion), and Silver (Cheetah).
A portion of every transaction made with the card (Sh10, Sh5, and Sh3, respectively) goes directly to the Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund.
The initiative aims to enable Kenyans and international supporters to contribute to wildlife conservation while fostering economic benefits for local communities.
With this new approach, Kenya hopes to build a future where humans and wildlife can coexist more safely and sustainably.
