The four-and-half-year-old male was spotted in the early hours of Wednesday, February 2, walking alongside the road. The lion belongs to Abelana Game Reserve and has subsequently been darted and immobilised by veterinarian, Dr Rita Piso of Mangata Veterinarian Services, after being called in by the reserve and Ledet (Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism). According to Eugene Troskie of Phalaborwa Natural Heritage Foundation, the capture did not go as smooth as they have hoped.  

“The situation was quite hazardous due to speeding motorists ignoring attempts by authorities on the scene to slow them down. “This threatened the lives of the people and even that of the lion. “The animal was eventually successfully darted, immobilised, checked for injuries and taken back to the reserve,” he said.

Also read: Lion on the loose close to Phalaborwa

It is believed that he escaped after finding an opening under the fence of the game reserve which was possibly caused by water erosion. “The male was recently in conflict with two older males that entered the reserve from a neighbouring property. “This caused him to try and move away from the area, ” Troskie added.

The lion will be kept in a boma until the other two lions are moved back to their property. CEO of Abelana Game Reserve, Ian Beauchamp, assured the community at large that their reserve and fences are safe. He said that they do their best to maintain the fence and that the escape was due to the two older lions entering the territory of the younger male.