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Precious Manomano Herald Reporter

A Zaka couple attacked by a hyena, a few days ago, are recovering well at Masvingo General Hospital and family members are appealing for artificial hands to improve mobility and managing daily activities so that they stay independent.

Ms Muchanyara Munodya and Mr Robert Maroyi were badly attacked by the hyena during the night when trying to protect their cattle from the marauding wild animals with the hyena devouring parts of their hands.

Munodya’s sister, Rumbidzai Munodya, said there is now an improvement and the couple is recovering well.

She is appealing for artificial hands to enable her sister to resume some daily activities.

“These people were depending on farming for survival. My sister is now crippled; the hands were devoured. The same applies to her husband. He cannot do anything with the hands since he lost some of the fingers in this battle. We appeal for artificial hands. The other issue is that the children are still young, they need clothes, uniforms and school fees. We are seeking your intervention because we are now unable to fend for  the family,” said Munodya’s sister.

Robert Maroyi’s brother Tinos Maroyi said it is disheartening to see the pain that the couple is going through because of wild animals.

He said even though the couple are proving to be recuperating well in the hospital, the major challenge is that they will no longer sustain themselves but will rely on other people for survival.

“The wife was critical but now she can go to see her husband in the male ward. Artificial hands may be important to them all. Their source of income was farming so we do not think the situation now can allow them to earn a living through that. We are appealing for help from well-wishers and the Government. This was a terrible issue which affected the whole family. There are lots of hyenas here but no one was attacked to this extent. We are even confused why this has happened,” he said.

Last year a nine-year-old girl at Manyiri Primary School in Zaka was seriously attacked by a hyena during a night church service, leaving him with one eye, while the nose, upper lip and both cheeks were extensively injured.

Hyena is an opportunistic hunter and primarily nocturnal, but may venture from its lair in the early morning hours in search of food. The spotted hyena common in Southern Africa is generally social and often congregates at kills.

They can grab or select the easiest and the most palatable food available. It can be very predatory to domestic animals like goats and donkeys. Although the spotted hyena is thought of as a scavenger, a large portion of the hyena’s diet comes from hunting live animals such as gazelle, zebras and wildebeest.

In the event these animals are scarce, the hyena can turn to domestic animals.

The hyena can grow to a mass of up to 80 kilograms with females slightly heavier than males. They have an approximate length of 150cm. Spotted hyenas have a gestation period of four months and will usually produce two or three young per litter but can have more or less.