|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You Are
Here: |
Local News|
Wednesday, October 29, 2003 - Web posted at 7:35:06 GMT Sleeping tourists fall foul of hyenas at Sesriem camp MAGGI BARNARD at SWAKOPMUNDTWO tourists have been attacked by a hyena at the Sesriem camp near Sossusvlei in the Namib desert, bringing the number of attacks in the past month to four. |
|
The most recent attacks took place early this week and during the night. The tourists were bitten in the face while sleeping outside or in a tent. "Something needs to be done urgently," said a doctor at Swakopmund who treated one of the tourists for her injuries. The woman who was attacked on Monday night was reportedly lucky not to have lost an eye as the hyena bit her just above the eyebrow. "She will be left with a nasty scar though," said the doctor, who requested anonymity. A second tourist attacked by a hyena at Sesriem was on his way to Swakopmund yesterday for medical attention. No details were available on the nature of his injuries. Dr Victoria Nikodemus, head of Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR), under whose management the Sesriem camp falls, told The Namibian yesterday that tourists are warned of the dangers posed by hyenas when they book into the camp. "We confirm the incidents and have taken responsibility for it," she said. Nikodemus referred further enquiries to the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET). "It is their park and their hyenas. They have to decide what to do next," she said. MET Deputy Permanent Secretary, William Amagulu, said he was not aware of the hyena attacks and referred The Namibian to the Director of Wildlife, Ben Beytell. Beytell was unavailable yesterday. About a month ago a tourist from East Europe was attacked by a hyena and bitten on the head and in the face at Sesriem. A piece of his scull bone had to be removed. He was apparently sleeping in a tent and the hyena went inside. A few days later a second tourist was attacked and was taken to Windhoek for treatment. An environmental scientist told The Namibian yesterday that in Kenya some people had been bitten in the face by hyenas, while in some cases women's breasts had been bitten off. |
|
||||
PO Box 20783 - Windhoek - 42 John Meinert Street Tel: +264 (61) 279600 - Fax: +264 (61) 279602
|
