WATCH: Lions on the loose: Pienaar residents cautioned after cow killed
The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency deployed a team to investigate reports of six lions roaming Pienaar’s residential neighbourhoods.
Just a day after elephants were spotted grazing near the N4 at the Lebombo Border, reports emerged of at least six lions roaming through Pienaar’s residential areas.
In a video taken on Tuesday, April 7, showing the carcass of a cow believed to have been killed and partially eaten, a resident can be heard warning people – especially those who exercise along nearby roads – to be wary of a pride of lions in the area.
“Please be safe and look out for yourselves. There are six lions roaming around our residential area, especially in the bushes near the road in Sicelosetfu, Daantjie. To all the joggers who use that route, be careful – even a cow was attacked by these lions. Stay safe,” said the unidentified resident.
Some residents told Lowvelder they had heard lions roaring at night, although none had seen them.
The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) has since dispatched a team to engage with the community and investigate the reports.
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“We have received information about lions being heard in parts of the Pienaar residential area. As we prioritise the safety of the community and livestock, a team has been sent to investigate the possible presence of lions,” said MTPA spokesperson Simphiwe Shungube.
He said the team had not yet spotted any lions but was working to verify the claims.
“Team members are also interviewing cattle herders in the area, but have not yet found the carcass referred to,” Shungube added.
Meanwhile, Shungube confirmed that the elephants spotted grazing near the N4 towards the Lebombo Port of Entry on Wednesday, April 8, were successfully pushed back into the Kruger National Park (KNP).
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“Our team succeeded in guiding the elephants back into the KNP. A helicopter dispatched from the park played a key role in the operation,” he said.
Motorists travelling to the Lebombo Port of Entry were earlier treated to the sighting of two elephants grazing in dense bush alongside the N4.
- This article was amended after publishing
