Five lions on the loose in Mpumalanga

[Flutterby]

Tuesday 9 May 2017 06:52
SABC

Kruger National Park rangers and the police in Mpumalanga are frantically searching for five lions who escaped from the park.

Police in the Mpumalanga province have cautioned residents living near or around the Kruger National Park to be cautious as there are five lions on the loose.

The lions escaped from the park and are currently roaming the streets and farms in the area.

Rangers are frantically looking for the escaped predators who are believed to be somewhere close to the N4 and the Mananga area which is close to the Swaziland border.

Speaking on Morning Live, Brigadier Leonard Hlathi says people crossing the border on foot in unrestricted areas are most vulnerable to attacks.

http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/1d77dc0041 ... a-20170509

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Chopper might be sent to spot lions on the loose

The community of Komatipoort and farms close to the border have been asked to help by staying away from the scene where lions were on the loose yesterday so that rangers and the MTPA can continue their search.

KOMATIPOORT – A chopper might be soon on the scene where the Kruger lions that were on the loose yesterday were last seen: On the Komatipoort road near the Mananga turn-off.

“It is chaos out here with everybody rushing to the scene. We ask the public to help us to stay away and help us to do our work,” said Mr Louw Steyn of the MTPA.

He confirmed to Lowvelder this morning that they came across a cow’s carcass this morning in a farmer’s kraal after they followed the lions’ tracks. The lions have now most probably split up in two groups.

At present, the MTPA are looking for the lions on the Mananga turn-off to Swaziland. Heavy mist has prevented them from being able to do a proper search.

Mr William Mabasa, acting head of Communications at SANParks, said to Lowvelder this morning that the lions are still outside of the Park and that the rangers are searching for them.

Mr Gerhardus Harmse, an electrician from Komatipoort, saw the two males and four females first at 5:00 yesterday morning a few kilometres away from the filling station on the way to the Lebombo Border Post.

“I almost ran into the one lion, but was able to drive around it and came back to shine my light on the lions against the road so that the other cars don’t run into them,” said Harmse. He was on his way to work in Mozambique.

A security patrol car came by and helped Harmse to shine lights on the lions and they disappeared into the bush.
The Border Police were called in. Lt. Col. Mabuna, SAPS station commander at Lebombo, confirmed to Lowvelder yesterday that the police sat at the spot where the lions were seen until the SANParks rangers and the MTPA rangers and veterinarians arrived just before daylight. The search was on, and was concentrated toward a camp of a farmer where they suspected the lions may be heading.

Late yesterday afternoon the MTPA confirmed to Lowvelder that no animals or people from the surrounding communities were hurt.

Sergeant Gerald Sedibe, provincial spokesperson for SAPS, asked communities to be aware of the lions on the loose. Warnings were sent out by Whatsapp from the security companies.

[PJL]

Meanwhile Sylvester has been unavailable for comment, although it is believed he may have sent postcards to these latest escapees while on his holiday in the Karoo

[Richprins]

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[Lisbeth]

BTW is Sylvester still behaving?

Why did they not send up a helicopter as soon as they got daylight .....or did they

[PJL]

BTW is Sylvester still behaving?

Yes he seems to be very happy in his new home

[Lisbeth]

[somabhula]

Community looking for free meat again, only this time the wrong meat got out

[Flutterby]

One lion still on the loose

EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON: KOMATIPOORT – Five lions that escaped from the Kruger National Park have been tracked down 60 kilometres from the Mananga border from Swaziland by the SANParks’ chopper pilot just before midday today.

One has been darted and is safely on a Cruiser and set to be taken back to the KNP in the Crocodile Bridge area. This has been confirmed by Mr Louw Steyn of the MTPA. “Everything went well. We got hold of him right in the middle of the enclosure for the cattle and could ensure that he get a safe exit from the camp to the vehicle,” said Steyn to Lowvelder.

The chopper is at present without fuel and refuelling to soon take to the air again.

A spokesman of the MTPA said to Lowvelder that it is an incredible difficult terrain to find the lions and to manoeuvre the chopper.

Mr. Ike Phaahla, SANParks media specialist, said to Lowvelder that four of the lions were still elusive but that they have been spotted in an enclosure of eight hectares where a farmer of Komatipoort keeps his cattle. They are not close to the sugar cane farms.

A carcass of a cow was found this morning. The lions were on this carcass and were spotted by officials of the MTPA. Cars however started chasing around in the bush very early this morning with spectators who wanted to see what was happening and a golden opportunity was missed by the officials to capture the lions.

An eyewitness who did not want to be named called it “an absolute circus".

SANParks is preparing to recapture the other lions. Phaahla said that the animals’ reaction to sounds of the cars and people might have driven them into hiding. He requested drivers and passengers to stay in their cars on the N4.

Lt Col Charles Sithabathaba of the SANDF on the border said that he has advised his officers and troops patrolling the border that the lions are in their area. The army has a base at Macadamia which is on the road to Mananga.

Mr Rey Thakuli, general manager: Media, Events and Stakeholders at SANParks urged people to refrain from taking photographs of “these animals as they are dangerous predators.”

He said investigations are underway to determine how the lions managed to leave the park. The five sub adult male lions are believed to have been chased out by a dominant pride.

SANParks would like to reiterate the police call for residents to be extra vigilant and report any sighting of these dangerous predators to the authorities on 080010111, 0768019679 or 013 735 0197.

Update:

Two lions have been darted of the five Kruger lions who were on the loose close to the Swaziland border since yesterday. But it is getting dark very quickly on the border now and three lions are still on the loose.

Mr. Ike Phaahla of SANParks said to Lowvelder that the unfortunate aspect is that there is only an hour of light left for the chopper to fly to get hold of the three other escapees.

He explained that it is thought that the five subadult males were driven out of their pride but no information as yet is available about the details.

UPDATE: 15:30

Another lion has been darted and taken back on a Cruiser to be released in the Crocodile Bridge area.