Kisumu: Kisumu County Commissioner Benson Leparmorijo has cautioned residents around Lake Victoria to take precautions when on fishing expeditions in order to curb human-wildlife conflicts. Leparmorijo highlighted that such incidents sometimes culminated in death or severe injuries attributed to crocodile and hippo attacks.
According to Kenya News Agency, Leparmorijo expressed regret over the death of a fisherman at Dunga beach last week. He revealed that investigations established that the fishermen had trespassed into a hippo breeding site. As a result, the hippos knocked and shipwrecked their boat. Leparmorijo advised fishermen to prioritize safety and ensure the use of appropriate fishing gear.
He emphasized, “We lost one person last week at Dunga when a hippo toppled a fishing canoe, and so we are urging our fisherfolk to avoid hippo breeding points to guard against further loss of lives.” Leparmorijo reiterated the government’s commitment to improving the welfare of the fisherfolk by constructing better fish landing sites and establishing a Marine School at Kabonyo Kanyagwal in Kisumu County.