Lion claws man after wandering out of national park on to main highway

A lion attacked and injured a man after straying out of the Nairobi National Park on to one of the city’s major roads during morning rush-hour on Friday. The lion, named Cheru, clawed the 63-year-old after becoming agitated by motorists on the four-lane highway honking their horns at it. The victim was in a stable condition while the lion returned to the park. Rangers are still on the streets of the city in case there are other lions around which have not been spotted.

People were there, hooting their horns, taking selfies and all that and the lion got agitated

Kenya Wildlife Service spokesman Paul Udoto

The park, which is 117 sq km (45 sq miles), is home to endangered black rhinos, lions, leopards, cheetahs, giraffes and diverse birdlife. The animals roam just 10km from downtown Nairobi to the north. The incident has highlighted the growing pressure on the wildlife in the park, which neighbours one of Africa’s fastest growing cities. Last month, two lions spent a day wandering through Kibera, a densely-packed city slum, before returning to the park, and days later more lions were spotted in town.

nairobi lion