Lerala man suffers serious injuries after hyena attack

Pini Bothoko | Tuesday June 18, 2024 12:22

A Lerala herder is hospitalised with serious injuries he sustained after a hyena attacked him while he was looking for cattle in the bush on Thursday afternoon.

Following close to an hour's fight with the hyena, the 45-year-old escaped death by a whisker after he managed to grab an axe in the middle of the fight and fatally hit the carnivore with it. Martin's Drift Police Station assistant commander, Assistant Superintendent Uyapo Koketso said they received the report from the victim through a phone call after he escaped death while still in the bush near a hill between Majwaneng and Lerala. Koketso explained that officers then rushed to the scene and took the man to Lerala Clinic where he was later referred to Palapye Hospital. 'The victim is seriously injured.

The hyena has chopped and torn off the back of his leg (calf) up to his thighs, he is currently nursing the injuries while hospitalised at Palapye Hospital. 'I'm pleading with members of the public to be cautious, especially when walking in the bush particularly near the hills because it is close to dangerous animals that usually reside. If that hyena wasn't alone we could be saying the worst. I'm pleading with people to be cautious when walking in the bush,' the assistant station commander said.