By Hou Akot Hou
A hippopotamus has 52-year-old woman identified as Aluat Aluong Mawien at Wun-atem Mei village in Aweil East County, Northern Bahr El Ghazal.
Mawien, a mother of three children was killed on Thursday morning, as she attempted to cross a river.
An eyewitness, Garang Ben Ben said the incident unfolded before the deceased crossed to fetch firewood from the other side of the riverbank.
“The hippo was coming from her back and the woman was about to step into the river then she got bitten from the back, chest and head… she bled seriously and passed on immediately” Garang narrated.
According to the eyewitness the incident has triggered anxiety and fear in the community as this is the second time for a hippo to kill a resident in the area.
“This river is where people fetch water and also do fishing. The wildlife authorities do prevent people from killing such wild animals and they are threats to human life” Ben observed.
The Northern Bahr El Ghazal state wildlife director, Marko Bol acknowledges the dangers people get as from wild animals.
He said the department has sent a team to the area to ascertain measures to deal with the calamity in area affected by the wild animals.
Similar incidents have been happening in areas of Awuluic in Aweil Town and Wathmuok of Aweil South County where hippos have been causing havoc to residents.
Meanwhile, the ministry of wildlife has warned people against tempering with wild animals, saying it is a source of economy to the nation.