An 87-year-old man was dragged from his bed and mauled to death by a pack of wild hyenas. Tendai Maseka was asleep in his hut in Chirumanzu in central Zimbabwe when the animals dragged him more than 1,000 feet to attack him, CNN reports. When Maseka’s body was found, the lower half was missing.
An elderly man who was killed by a pack of hyenas in Chirumanzu (87yrs) was staying alone. He was sleeping in a hut when the unfortunate incident happened. He was dragged for about 300m, with lower body missing. Drag marks and hyena tracks were visible.
— Tinashe Farawo (@FarawoTinashe) November 18, 2020
- Drag marks and hyena tracks were visible. Tinashe Farawo, spokesman for the Zimbabwe Parks & Wildlife Management Authority, announced the tragic incident on Twitter, revealing what happened to the elderly man, who was sleeping alone at the time of the attack.
- The hyenas have been attacking other animals. Authorities believe that the hyenas that attacked Maseka were the same ones that had been attacking cows and goats in the area over the past several months.
- These kinds of attacks are said to be common at this time of year. Trackers from the Parks and Wildlife Authority are on the lookout for the animals, which could pose further danger if they’re not caught. Farawo revealed that the dry climate typical of this time of year often encourages animals to come into communities looking for food and water.
- Maseka’s death is the 60th this year involving wildlife. According to Farawo, 60 humans have been killed by wildlife this year, which is pretty concerning. Maseka died in such a violent, horrific way – there must be a way to stop these kinds of killings.
