Six lions removed from Marloth

News of lions in and out of Marloth Park is nothing new.

Countless carnivore warnings for lions in the park have been issued over the last while. Walkers, cyclists and residents alike were warned to keep an eye out and report any incident to the relevant channels as soon as possible.

In light of this, the wildlife management team from the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) responded to a complaint of six lions roaming the park on the evening of June 20.

All six the cats were darted and placed in a holding facility outside Mbombela.

“TB testing was conducted on all of the cats. The pride of six lions have subsequently been relocated to the most northern section of the Kruger National Park and are doing extremely well,” said the MTPA.

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It said it is aware of the differing opinions of many of the homeowners within Marloth Park regarding having lions roaming within the municipal area, however, it has a legal mandate to manage all dangerous game, including lions, within Marloth Park and any part of the province.

“The management of such incidents will be conducted in the best interests of the people residing within this area, as well as the best interests of the animals being managed, in this case the lions.

“It is important to note that the removal of these six lions is no guarantee that there is no possibility of more lions residing within the municipal area of Marloth Park. The MTPA urges homeowners, holidaymakers and residents to always be vigilant within this area.”