An elephant attacked and killed a 61-year-old man in a forest in Merti, Isiolo County.
The body of Hassan Galgalo was found with a crushed skull after the attack in Kone Galo forest on January 18.
He and a colleague were cutting trees in the forest when the elephant charged at them and attacked him, the witness said.
The witness managed to escape the scene as the animal trampled Galgalo to death. His body was found with a crushed skull and abdomen and moved to the mortuary.
The police and Kenya Wildlife Service officials visited the scene and announced they were investigating the death. They advised the family to file a compensation claim.
The body was moved to the mortuary for autopsy and later released to the family for burial, police said. This is the latest such human-wildlife conflict incident to be reported in an increase in the same.
In May 2025, Kenya introduced the third phase of its Human–Wildlife Conflict Compensation Programme, an initiative aimed at addressing these incidents and supporting affected families.
During its launch at Meru National Park, President William Ruto unveiled the innovative Wildlife Conservation Card, a new tool designed to help fund conservation efforts.
“Compensation is justice, but prevention is progress,” Ruto said, emphasizing the need for long-term solutions that benefit both people and wildlife.
“Through the Conservation Card, fencing, and community‑led tourism, we are turning conflict into opportunity,” he added.
Developed in partnership with KCB Bank, the Wildlife Conservation Card is available in three tiers—Platinum (Elephant), Gold (Lion), and Silver (Cheetah).
A portion of every transaction made with the card (Sh10, Sh5, and Sh3, respectively) goes directly to the Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund.
The initiative aims to enable Kenyans and international supporters to contribute to wildlife conservation while fostering economic benefits for local communities.
With this new approach, Kenya hopes to build a future where humans and wildlife can coexist more safely and sustainably.
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