There was drama at Kiangua in Meru County after residents raised an alarm after spotting a ‘lion’ hiding in the bushes on Thursday.
The residents called Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) officers to tame the lion before it starts attacking people.
The KWS officers arrived in the village and tried to lure the supposed lion out of its hideout but it remained unresponsive.
The officers drew closer and found there was no lion but a paper bag with a picture of a lion’s face.
Photos circulated on social media showed a KWS officer holding the bag, with a lion face, hidden under a leafy shrub.
“I found avocado seedlings in the bag explaining why the bag had a ‘filled up’ look. This is why the residents were mistaking the bag for a lion’s head peeping from under the bush,” KWS officers said.
The incident has gone viral on social media given that many residents were fooled that a Carrefour carrier bag was a lion.
KWS has however praised members of the public for the manner in which they handled the situation.
“Despite this being a false alarm, we laud the public for raising an alarm in order to mitigate a possible conflict.”
Members of the public have been asked to be cautious always in handling wildlife to avoid incidents that can lead to deaths and injuries.
“Kindly call our hotline/Toll-Free number 0800 597 000 for assistance and reporting of any wildlife emergency,” KWS noted.
The village is near the Meru National Park which is billed as a magnificent wildlife park with Lions, the endangered Grevy’s Zebra and many more wild animals.Attachments area
