One escaped lion destroyed, two at large

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, working with various government departments and private organisations, on Monday tracked and destroyed one of three lions living in the bush in the Gluckstadt area.

This after sniffer dogs tracked the lion’s movements.

Ezemvelo spokesperson Musa Mntambo explained that as the dogs followed the trail, two lions suddenly appeared at a distance from where the armed team was stationed.

“During the chase, a third lion appeared nearby and the dogs shifted their focus to it, allowing the professional hunters to destroy it. The remaining two lions escaped into nearby bushes, prompting the team to halt the search until the next sighting,” he said.

Ezemvelo CEO Sihle Mkhize expressed his appreciation to the various non-governmental organisations that assisted in the search using their own resources.

Mkhize also conveyed his sadness for the community members who lost their livestock to the lions.

“I know their spirits are crushed, as their livelihood depends on their livestock. We empathise with them. The process of assessing the extent of their losses will begin shortly.

“I appeal to the community to co-operate with our conservation officers once the process begins. In the meantime, I urge them to continue bringing their livestock home in the evenings to prevent further losses,” said Mkhize.

Ezemvelo further appealed to the local community to immediately inform the local traditional leadership, police or Ezemvelo district conservation officer, Lucky Zulu on 082 9454255, if they spot the remaining lions.

Don’t have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here:

HAVE YOUR SAY