Girl, 14, Dies After Being Attacked by Lion in Home in Kenya: Reports

A 14-year-old girl was killed by a lioness outside the Kenyan capital Nairobi when she was snatched at a ranch bordering the southern edge of a national park, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said Sunday.

The animal had entered a residential compound near Nairobi National Park on Saturday night after jumping over a makeshift fence, KWS Senior Corporate Communications Manager Paul Udoto told CNN.

The lioness then entered a house and attacked the girl, who was inside with a second teenager. “There is no evidence of provocation from the victims,” Udoto said.

• A 14-year-old girl died after being attacked by a lion near Nairobi National Park in Kenya on April 19
• The attack came one day after a man died in a confrontation with an elephant in a nearby city
• Kenya Wildlife Services suggested that both attacks are seemingly "linked to broader ecological pressures and human encroachment on wildlife habitats"

The second teenager immediately raised the alarm, prompting KWS rangers and emergency teams to respond to the incident. Upon arrival, the team traced bloodstains leading to the Mbagathi River, where the girl’s body was recovered with injuries on her lower back.

Authorities have set a trap and deployed teams to search for the lioness. They are also trying to reinforce security measures, including electric fencing and AI-powered early warning systems to notify communities of nearby animal movements, Udoto said.

A search for the lioness is still ongoing.

Deadly lion attacks are a relatively rare occurrence, Udoto told the outlet, which reported that they "account for less than 2% of all reported incidents involving humans and wildlife."

The deadly attack occurred one day after a man was killed by an elephant — a more common situation, Udoto said — in the nearby area.

“KWS conveys its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and continues to work closely with local law enforcement and communities to enhance the safety of people living near protected wildlife areas,” the agency said.

Udoto said that the organization is talking about ways to "reinforce security measures" to protect others from similar situations.

Separate animal attack

In a different incident on Friday, an elephant attacked a 54-year-old man while he was grazing livestock at a forest in Kenya’s Nyeri County. The man sustained chest injuries, fractured ribs and internal trauma, and was declared dead upon arriving at a hospital, KWS said.

he agency added that both attacks underscore a need for “continued investment in human-wildlife conflict mitigation – through strategic interventions, early warning systems, and strengthened collaboration with affected communities

Lion attacks account for less than 2% of all reported incidents involving humans and wildlife, Udoto said. Elephant-related incidents are more common and tend to happen during dry seasons, when the animals migrate in search of water and food and encounter farmland or settlements, Udoto added.