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Lightning kills 49 pelicans as rains pound Nakuru town
Story by NATION Reporter
Publication Date: 5/6/2006
Lightning killed 49 pelicans outside Afraha Stadium in Nakuru Town in a heavy downpour yesterday.
The birds were scattered all over Kenyatta Primary School, which is next to the stadium.
A school guard, Mr Daniel Mbugua, told reporters that he saw the birds flying high before they were struck dead.
"The birds started falling down all over the place, and two fell outside the door of my house," he said. "It was terrifying."
A Standard Seven pupil, Simon Chege, who was playing football at the stadium, also told of falling birds.
"Some streetboys took one of the birds which was still alive but dazed, and slaughtered it outside the stadium," he said.
"They shared the meat and fled."
Lake Nakuru National Park senior warden Charles Muthui, an assistant director of veterinary services, Dr Michael Cheruiyot, and park research scientist Samuel Mungai arrived at the scene and supervised the collection of the dead birds.
Another bird which was still alive but dazed, was retrieved from a tree branch and taken away by deputy district veterinary officer Robert Monda, who said the carcasses would be taken to a laboratory for tests.
Dr Cheruiyot urged the residents to report any dead birds, and cautioned them against touching them.
"These deaths were caused by lightning, but we shall carry out tests," he said, referring to the bird flu scare. "We are not taking anything forgranted."
The park has about 20,000 white greater and pink-back pelicans. Those killed yesterday had pink-backs.
Lightning kills 49 pelicans as rains pound Nakuru town
Story by NATION Reporter
Publication Date: 5/6/2006
Lightning killed 49 pelicans outside Afraha Stadium in Nakuru Town in a heavy downpour yesterday.
The birds were scattered all over Kenyatta Primary School, which is next to the stadium.
A school guard, Mr Daniel Mbugua, told reporters that he saw the birds flying high before they were struck dead.
"The birds started falling down all over the place, and two fell outside the door of my house," he said. "It was terrifying."
A Standard Seven pupil, Simon Chege, who was playing football at the stadium, also told of falling birds.
"Some streetboys took one of the birds which was still alive but dazed, and slaughtered it outside the stadium," he said.
"They shared the meat and fled."
Lake Nakuru National Park senior warden Charles Muthui, an assistant director of veterinary services, Dr Michael Cheruiyot, and park research scientist Samuel Mungai arrived at the scene and supervised the collection of the dead birds.
Another bird which was still alive but dazed, was retrieved from a tree branch and taken away by deputy district veterinary officer Robert Monda, who said the carcasses would be taken to a laboratory for tests.
Dr Cheruiyot urged the residents to report any dead birds, and cautioned them against touching them.
"These deaths were caused by lightning, but we shall carry out tests," he said, referring to the bird flu scare. "We are not taking anything forgranted."
The park has about 20,000 white greater and pink-back pelicans. Those killed yesterday had pink-backs.
