A team comprising various government departments and private organizations, including those with professional hunting dogs, managed to destroy one of the three lions that had been living in the bush in the Gluckstadt area in KZN.
Image: NSPCA
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife have confirmed that one of the lions living in bushes in the Gluckstadt area has been killed.
It is unclear if these animals escaped from the park or neighbouring private game reserves.
Ezemvelo spokesperson, Musa Mntambo, said the animal was one of three spotted in the village area, near Vryheid.
He said a team made up of various government stakeholders and private organisations was able to track the lions.
"The search team consisted of both ground and airborne forces. The lion was destroyed following a successful tracking effort by the dogs, which traced the lions’ movements," Mntambo said.
Dogs followed the trail and two lions appeared in the distance and during the chase, a third lion appeared.
"The dogs shifted their focus to the third lion, 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 explained.
The lions had been targeting livestock from locals in the area.
While expressing his thanks to the teams involved in the operation, Ezemvelo CEO Sihle Mkhize, conveyed his sadness to residents impacted by the lion attacks.
"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 cooperate 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," Mkhize said.
Ezemvelo further appeals to the local community to maintain their cooperation as they have been doing, by immediately informing the local traditional leadership, police, or Ezemvelo District Conservation Officer, Lucky Zulu on 082 945 4255 if they spot the escaped lions.
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