A typical man bites dog situation played out in Lucuiti village Igembe North, Meru County on Friday after a cow killed a lion that had been terrorizing residents for weeks.

The cow had been tied to a tree when she saw the lion approaching and attempted to run for her life. It was then that a rope which had been used to tether her trapped the big cat, strangling it to death.

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers from the Meru National Park confirmed that the 'king of the jungle' died as a result of strangulation.

“It is a bizarre incident which we are still pursuing. The reports from the members of the public indicate that the lion died out of strangulation after the cow it had attacked and which was tethered by a rope strangely fixed on the lion,” a police officer told the Standard.

“The officers visited the scene and confirmed that indeed no gunshot of cut wounds were on the lion. However we are still investigating the incident, the lion carcass has been taken by the officers from KWS,” the officer attached at Kabache police post added.

Luciuti Location chief Daniel Kobia said the lion had mauled several domestic animals including goats and cows before it met its death.