Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency euthanised six lions ‘as a last resort’

Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency euthanised six lions ‘as a last resort’

The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) says it had no other choice than to euthanise six lions at the Mpakeni Village close to KaNyamazane in Mbombela earlier this month.

The lions escaped from Mthethomusha Nature Reserve on the southwestern border of the Kruger National Park.

The MTPA received a complaint from the affected community on 27 December last year, saying that the lions were feeding on the cattle belonging to the community.

A hunt for the lions started on the same day. There is no buffer-zone between the Mthethomusha Nature Reserve fence and the community of Mpakeni Trust.

“We acted swiftly and dispatched a team of experts to clear the area,” says Simphiwe Shungube, spokesperson of the MTPA.

Due to the topography and terrain in both Mthethomusha and Mpakeni Trust, it was difficult to detect the lions. They were moving at night, posing a threat to the lives of the communities.

“The mandate of MTPA is to conserve the ecosystem in the province, including saving lives of both human beings and game. Where wildlife is found in communities, the role of MTPA is to remove the wildlife, but where it is too complex to deal with the situation endangering human lives, euthanising becomes the last resort.

“It took more than seven days to trace the lions and devise strategies to dart and relocate them. All the while, the lions were roaming at night, catching cattle. People were also becoming increasingly scared to leave their houses.

“We want to urge the community to always avoid contact with wild animals and report such incidents immediately.”