A 65-year-old man was found dead in a thicket after he had been attacked by an elephant in Garsen, Tana River County.
The deceased, identified as Katana Safari, had been a farm in the Kibusu area when he was attacked on February 7, 2026, witnesses, police and Kenya Wildlife Service officials said.
The body had an injury in the abdomen and the animal behind the incident had escaped by the time it was picked up to the mortuary pending an autopsy. His family was advised to file for compensation.
Such human-wildlife conflicts have been on the rise leaving dozens of people dead and others injured.
Most of the incidents happen near parks, officials said.
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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