Police confirm lion sighted roaming freely in Vaal has been located, with arrangements finalised to safely relocate it to a secure environment.
The police have confirmed that the lion sighted roaming freely in the Vaal has been found and arrangements are being finalised to safely relocate it to a secure environment.
A lion was spotted in the early hours of Wednesday in the Redan area, located between Meyerton and Vereeniging, after a security guard allegedly encountered it.
Security guard spotted lion in Redan
The security guard reportedly spotted the lion after he initially mistook it for a smaller animal, but after turning on his phone’s torch, he realised the animal was larger; he took a picture and then fled.
On Thursday, pictures of the lion’s alleged sighting roaming through a community were also posted on social media.
The spokesperson for the office of the mayor at Midvaal Local Municipality, Idah Satikhe, confirmed that the mayor’s office received reports about the lion on the loose.
The South African Police Service (Saps) said that at approximately 4 am on Wednesday, Saps Vereeniging was alerted by a K9 member to a social media post about a lion roaming freely in a remote area.
Brigadier Brenda Muridili said the Vereeniging officers, together with the K9 unit and relevant role-players, including private security drone operators, mobilised resources to locate the animal.
Lion located with arrangements finalised to safely relocate
“The lion has since been located, and arrangements have been finalised by the relevant professionals to safely relocate it to a secure environment,” Muridili said on Thursday evening.
“The ownership of the animal remains unknown, and investigations are ongoing to establish its origin.”
Bloufontein Wildlife Park in Meyerton confirmed on Wednesday that the lion seen did not belong to the park.
“We have conducted the necessary checks and can confirm that all animals under our care are accounted for. There are no missing lions or other animals from our facility,” the park said in a statement.
In the meantime, residents in Redan, Meyerton, Vereeniging and surrounding areas have been urged to remain calm and allow the authorities and wildlife experts to conclude the operation safely.
Police and wildlife park concerned about false and unverified information
Muridili added that the police were concerned about false and unverified information circulating on social media that causes unnecessary panic.
“Community members are urged to refrain from sharing unverified reports and to rely on official communication,” she said.
Bloufontein Wildlife Park also cautioned people against posting false sightings or artificial intelligence-generated photos of the lion.
“While we appreciate the concerns and interest in our wildlife, these fake images and unverified reports are making it increasingly difficult to identify and confirm real sightings,” the park said.
“They create confusion, spread misinformation, and can cause unnecessary worry among the public and neighbouring communities.”
