A school in Machakos County, Malaa area, has taken studies up a notch by introducing hyena lessons into its curriculum. These classes aim to sensitize students about hyena attacks, which have become frequent in the area.
During the school’s launch on Monday, a school official highlighted the importance of the new hyena lessons. They emphasized that these lessons would teach students how to react if they encounter a hyena, which is vital for their safety.
People living nearby have reported numerous encounters with hyenas, which are believed to inhabit the Oldonyo Sabuk National Park.
The school administrator said that a huge chunk of the curriculum will focus on helping students distinguish between a dog and a hyena. He explained that in the past, confusion between the two animals has resulted in more frequent attacks.
“We took the initiative after learning that many children could not differentiate between hyenas and dogs to enable them to understand how they look like, how to avoid attacks and what to do when they face them,” the administrator said.
Parents in the Malaa region have praised the school’s initiative. They expressed relief as they’ve been anxious about their children’s safety while travelling to and from school.
“Anyone who has lived in this area has a story about a hyena attack on their livestock and also relatives. The animals come in large numbers and some are big and dangerous. We have fought them but it seems they can’t go away. We now have to learn how to live with them,” explained on of the parents.
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Attacks by wild animals, especially hyenas, have been increasing in various parts of the country like Juja and Rongai, resulting in more deaths.
On February 6th, students from Multimedia University protested after one of their peers was killed by a hyena.
On Tuesday, April 2nd, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers confirmed they had captured a hyena in Juja as part of an operation called ‘Ondoa Fisi’.