Lion kills 11-year-old boy in Kilifi

In Kilifi County, Kenya, an 11-year-old boy named Kelvin Amani, a Grade Four student at Chanjalo Comprehensive School, was tragically killed by a lion while walking home after a football match. The incident occurred around 7:40am on Sunday in the Chanjalo area of Magarini. According to police and wildlife officials, the lion attacked Amani, dismembering him and dragging his body into the surrounding bushes.

The lion reportedly fed on parts of the boy's body before moving deeper into the forest with the remains. A team of police and Kenya Wildlife Service officers, led by the warden, investigated the scene, recovered the mutilated remains, and transported them to Malindi Sub-County Hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy. The cause of the attack remains under investigation, as such incidents are classified as human-wildlife conflict.

Authorities have urged the boy's family to seek compensation and have been running campaigns to address the issue of human-wildlife conflict. In May 2025, Kenya launched its third phase of the Human–Wildlife Conflict Compensation Programme, which aims to support affected families and promote conservation efforts through initiatives like the Wildlife Conservation Card.

The program, launched at Meru National Park by President William Ruto, includes three tiers of cards that contribute to the Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund, fostering economic benefits for local communities while encouraging coexistence between humans and wildlife.