A vicious hyena mauled five people in the Zuze area of Makoni District in incidents that happened last week on Thursday and Friday.
The Manica Post reported that the hyena was killed by a traditional leader, Headman Gwasira after it had injured him.
Headman Gwasira is now recuperating at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare.
The nocturnal animal’s first victim, David Zuze (54) who lost a large chunk of his lips, an arm, and a palm, is admitted at Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital in Mutare.
The hyena also inflicted various degrees of injuries on three other villagers who were treated and discharged.
Zuze reportedly met his near-death experience just before sunset while on his way to a funeral last week on Thursday.
Speaking to The Manica Post, his brother, Simbarashe Zuze, said the family is praying for a speedy recovery. He said:
My brother said he thought that it was a dog, and only realised that it was a hyena after it attacked him.
When he fell down, the hyena pounced on him and as he bravely tried to wade it off. lt ripped off his left hand and two fingers from his right hand.
It also ripped off his lips. He had lost all hope and power when another villager came to his rescue.
The villager who rescued Zuze, Philemon Munjanja, recounted the horror experience to The Manica Post on Monday. He said:
I heard a strange sound while I was in my garden. It sounded like a hyena, but I could not imagine seeing a hyena in broad daylight. I heard someone screaming for help.
The screaming stopped after a while and I got worried. I grabbed an axe and ran to the scene. I saw Mr Zuze on the ground and the hyena lurking nearby.
The hyena tried to attack me, but I firmly held my axe ready to strike it. We went back and forth for an hour until it backed off and moved away.
Munjanja later carried Zuze to his homestead.
The following morning, the Village Head, Noah Zuze and Headman Omega Gwasira, teamed up with other villagers to retrieve David’s body parts from where he was attacked by the hyena.
Speaking in a telephone interview with the publication from his hospital bed at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, Headman Gwasira said:
We retrieved them, but as we headed to Rusape General Hospital where David was initially taken, we met two women being chased by a hyena. We parked our vehicle and went after it.
The animal turned on us and mangled my foot. My colleague tried to strike it with an axe, but he missed it and the axe landed on my leg. I sustained a deep cut, and that is why I ended up in hospital.
He said despite suffering the leg injury, he grabbed the axe and delivered a fatal blow to the hyena.
Headman Gwasira implored ZimParks to hunt down the hyenas which are now a threat to both people and their livestock.
ZimParks spokesperson, Tinashe Farawo said he was still waiting for a detailed report of the incident.
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