KATIMA MULILO - Efforts by the environment ministry officials to contain lions roaming about in the Zambezi region have proved futile.
This comes after two lions escaped from Chobe National Park last week and ended up wandering in villages and settlements, threatening lives and livelihoods of residents.
In an interview yesterday, environment control warden for wildlife and national parks in the Zambezi region Leeverty Muyoba said the stray lioness has not been located yet.
“Efforts were put in place by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism to locate the lioness by engaging a veterinarian. The aim was to capture the lioness and relocate it to Bwabwata National Park. But after trying for the past two nights, we could not locate it,” Muyoba said.
Officials suspect that either the lioness moved westwards into the Zambezi state forest, or might have found its way back to where it came from [Ngoma direction].
Muyoba said they have received unconfirmed reports that two lions were seen by Sikunga conservancy staff thursday in Nsanga in Katima Rural constituency.
“Another unconfirmed report was received around 12h30 from a farmer in the Salambala conservancy that two other lions were sighted around the bushes near his kraal.
“The message to the communities is that they should report the animals as soon as they see them, and also avoid disturbing them or try to take the law into their own hands. Also, they should avoid walking in bushes alone,” Muyoba cautioned yesterday.
Six lions in total escaped from Chobe, but two broke out of the pride and ended up in villages searching for water and food due to the prevailing drought in the region. These lions preyed on livestock as they moved inland.
As the two lions moved into settlements and villages, one attacked a man in Katima Mulilo Rural constituency near Mafuta compound on Monday, inflicting severe injuries on him. The victim, Martin Likando, is a resident of Chefuze location.
He sustained a broken arm and injuries on his thigh as the lion jumped out of a nearby bush and attacked him.
Luckily, conservation officials who were tracking the lions to return them to the park were nearby, and they shot it dead as it mauled the man. He is receiving medical attention in the Katima Mulilo state hospital, and his condition is described as stable.