Lions escape from Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park
Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2015 5:28 pm
SIX lions have been safely returned to the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park after they escaped earlier this week.
Unfortunately one lion could not be caught and was put down.
After being contacted by visitors who had spotted lions outside the western boundary fence of Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, the Zululand Observer contacted Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW).
According to EKZNW Spokesperson Musa Mntambo, ‘Seven lions chased a giraffe which found itself cornered against the fence. The giraffe kicked down the fence with the lions in pursuit.’
Mntambo went on to say the lions killed the giraffe outside the reserve but could not get back in.
By Monday afternoon six lions had been captured and released inside the reserve but the seventh, which could not be caught, had to be destroyed.
The lions are thought to be from the Okhukho Pride whose name derives from the pride’s territory, which is predominantly on the park’s Okhukho Loop, also known as the 4×4 Loop.
This western boundary fence has been the topic of conversation for some time now, as it is frequently damaged, as shown in a January article in the Zululand Observer, when a number of visitors had supplied photographs of the same fence which had obviously been pushed down from the outside.
Visitors to the park have also, on a few occasions over the last year, come across cattle well within the reserve in the area of the damaged western boundary fence.
http://zululandobserver.co.za/73009/lio ... e-reserve/
Unfortunately one lion could not be caught and was put down.
After being contacted by visitors who had spotted lions outside the western boundary fence of Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, the Zululand Observer contacted Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW).
According to EKZNW Spokesperson Musa Mntambo, ‘Seven lions chased a giraffe which found itself cornered against the fence. The giraffe kicked down the fence with the lions in pursuit.’
Mntambo went on to say the lions killed the giraffe outside the reserve but could not get back in.
By Monday afternoon six lions had been captured and released inside the reserve but the seventh, which could not be caught, had to be destroyed.
The lions are thought to be from the Okhukho Pride whose name derives from the pride’s territory, which is predominantly on the park’s Okhukho Loop, also known as the 4×4 Loop.
This western boundary fence has been the topic of conversation for some time now, as it is frequently damaged, as shown in a January article in the Zululand Observer, when a number of visitors had supplied photographs of the same fence which had obviously been pushed down from the outside.
Visitors to the park have also, on a few occasions over the last year, come across cattle well within the reserve in the area of the damaged western boundary fence.
http://zululandobserver.co.za/73009/lio ... e-reserve/