A woman from the Quarry area in rural Kariba lost her hand following a brutal hyena attack while sleeping outdoors at her homestead on Sunday evening.
The incident occurred around 7 PM when Stella Muzambi was resting outside her home on the outskirts of the village.
Eyewitnesses reported that the same hyena had earlier been seen near a nearby shop, where it was chased away by villagers. The animal then fled toward Muzambi’s homestead, where it found her sleeping.
The hyena dragged Muzambi for several metres before villagers arrived to rescue her. However, it had already inflicted severe injuries, severing her right hand in the process.
Muzambi was first taken to Nyamhunga Clinic, then transferred to Kariba District Hospital, and later moved to Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital for further treatment.
The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) has warned communities living near wildlife habitats, urging them to take precautions to prevent such attacks.
Despite these warnings, many residents continue to sleep outdoors during the hot summer months, when temperatures can become unbearable.
More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200039334/kariba-woman-loses-hand-in-attack-by-hyena">NewsDay</a>

Pindula News

A lady in Kariba was attacked by a hyena while sleeping outside her house. The hyena had been chased away by villagers before it attacked her. It dragged her and bit her, cutting off her hand. She was taken to different hospitals for treatment. The authorities warned people to be careful around wildlife, but some still sleep outside during hot weather.

Kariba Woman Attacked By Hyena While Sleeping Outdoors

A man from Gamunorwa Village in Chiadzwa, Mutare who was trying to help fellow villagers who were being attacked by a hyena was killed after the animal turned on him last week on Thursday.
Charles Gamunorwa lost his life while two other villagers, Noah Jambaya and Petros Machona, sustained life-threatening injuries and were admitted to hospital, following the attack.
The hyena was killed by Gamunorwa’s brother, Valerio, as he tried to save his brother.
Speaking to <a href="https://www.manicapost.co.zw/brave-samaritan-loses-life-in-hyena-attack/">The Manica Post</a> at his brother’s burial last week on Friday, Valerio said he, together with his late brother and 10 other villagers, had rushed to assist Jambaya and Machona who were being attacked by the hyena. He said:
<blockquote>
When we heard Mr Jambaya and Mr Machona crying for help, we teamed up with 10 other villagers and rushed to the scene. We were at my late brother’s homestead when we heard the commotion.
The noise sounded like a cow was being attacked by a hyena. We rushed to the scene thinking that we were going to rescue the cow, not knowing that the hyena was attacking people. We realised that two people had been injured.
When we got here, the hyena went straight for my brother, Charles, and knocked him down.
When the other people we were with saw what was happening, they ran for their lives in different directions.
Mr Jambaya, whom we had rescued, also took this opportunity to escape. Only an injured Mr Machona, Mr Tatenda Kusena and myself remained behind to fight the hyena.
When we tried to rescue my brother, the hyena charged towards us. We remained resolute in our quest to save my brother’s life.
When we hit the hyena with heavy stones, it would fall down but would regain its strength and charge towards my badly injured brother and continue mauling him.
He died a painful death, something that we never anticipated as we were relaxing as a family at his homestead 30 minutes before his death.
</blockquote>
The late Gamunorwa left behind children aged eight, 10, 13, 15, and 18, whose mothers are also late.
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) spokesperson, Tinashe Farawo urged people to alert ZimParks and report to their nearest police station if they spot wild animals around their areas.
Five people were attacked by a hyena in Makoni District recently in another case of human-wildlife conflict in Manicaland.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

"Good Samaritan" Killed By Hyena As Other Villagers Flee In Terror

A vicious hyena mauled five people in the Zuze area of Makoni District in incidents that happened last week on Thursday and Friday.
<a href="https://www.manicapost.co.zw/hyena-attacks-five-rips-off-lips-limb/">The Manica Post</a> 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:
<blockquote>
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.
</blockquote>
The villager who rescued Zuze, Philemon Munjanja, recounted the horror experience to The Manica Post on Monday. He said:
<blockquote>
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.
</blockquote>
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:
<blockquote>
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.
</blockquote>
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.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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