A postmortem examination has established the causes of death of two hippos whose bodies were discovered along the shores of Lake Naivasha, with excessive consumption of cereals and ingestion of fishing nets identified as the factors behind the deaths.

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Senior Assistant Director for Corporate Communication Officer Duncan Juma confirmed the findings, providing an update on investigations that were launched after the two animals were found dead.

According to Juma, one of the hippos died from bloating after consuming large quantities of cereals. The condition, which causes the animal's stomach to become excessively distended, can interfere with normal digestion.

The second hippo died after consuming fishing nets, which can obstruct the digestive system.

In an earlier report, Mtaa Wangu established that KWS had launched investigations after members of the public discovered the carcasses along the lake's shoreline.

The deaths have also renewed attention on the growing human-wildlife conflict around Lake Naivasha, where rising water levels have submerged some of the animals' grazing grounds, forcing them to venture into nearby farms and settlements in search of food.

As the lake continues to support fishing, farming and wildlife conservation, the incident underscores the need for responsible waste disposal and measures to reduce the exposure of hippos to materials and food sources that could endanger their lives.

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Postmortem reveals two hippos found dead at lake Naivasha had ingested fishing nets

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Muthoni Wanjiku