The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has issued an urgent alert after two lionesses escaped from the Nairobi National Park.
In a statement on Wednesday, KWS urged residents of Ongata Rongai in Kajiado County to remain on high alert.
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 lion that had been killing dogs and terrorising residents.
CCTV footage from a local showed the lions moving through residential areas, with one of them hunting dogs. They were later captured after weeks on the loose.
Upon seizure, the lion 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.
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