Poor Fencing has Devastating Effects on Escaping Animals

[Toko]

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/

[RogerFraser]

so was the giraffe able to kick down the fence or is this what they guess happened . Glad they got 6 back and pity one was put down.

[Richprins]

Lion really don't care about fences, unless electrified?

Really...that's how they roll?

[nan]

again... it seems fences are not so secure

and why put down one

[Toko]

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi fences have been an issue for a long time. But lions escape everywhere

[Richprins]

They are not endangered...shoot them, end of story?

They will kill a human at some stage, not worth the risk?

[Mel]

... but the seventh, which could not be caught, had to be destroyed...

And why exactly did it have to be put down?

I just wonder from what was said in the article... not specific about that

[Lisbeth]

Were the fences not one of the arguments against the ex-manager who got fired? The money were there , he was just too lazy to get around to do something about them Obviously the situation is still the same. "Africa time" can be a dangerous factor in cases like this one

[Toko]

Check the report of the Public Protector after the investigation (Sept 2014)

Ezemvelo should check their fencing and ensure that fences are apt and not broken.

http://www.publicprotector.org/library/ ... rt%203.pdf

[Klipspringer]

https://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/news/kw ... r-30434587

Lions on the loose: KZN community living in fear
KWAZULU-NATAL / 7 AUGUST 2019, 12:30PM / ANELISA KUBHEKA


Durban - Resident living in the shadow of uMfolozi Game Reserve want the provincial government to intervene before their cattle are wiped out by animals which have escaped.
“After the cattle is gone, we will be next. We we need some sort of intervention,” said a resident who would not be named fearing victimisation.


After eight of 10 lions which escaped three weeks ago were re-captured on Tuesday, it appeared that five more had recently escaped.

On Monday morning, residents woke to find a donkey had been killed and eaten by what they assume were lions or wild dogs that had escaped from the reserve.

On Sunday, residents spotted five lions roaming around their homes. The escapes came as Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife pledged that a new fence would be built.

“They always say there’s a fence coming, but it never comes,” said the resident.

They want the new fence to be built on the reserve’s side of the uMfolozi River.

“Their fence is in our village so the animals can drink from the river, but this is the crux of matter: spring is around the corner and the river will overflow and the fence will be washed away,” the man said.

The man said his family had lost 12 goats which had been eaten last month.

“These were just the ones we found; there could be more out in the field that are dead, but we are too afraid to go looking. Last week, my sister and other ladies went to fetch water from the river and they ran back home after finding lions there. We will find ourselves in a situation where we have people who go to the river to get water and then they will disappear,” he said.

Area councillor Nhlanhla Mthembu said while the game reserve had a programme to compensate those who had lost livestock, it was a futile exercise.

“If my cow that was killed was valued at R10000, I get compensated about R7000 and I can’t buy a cow anywhere for that amount. At home we had a pregnant cow that was killed and we were told we would not be compensated for the calf which the lions pulled out of the mother and left on the ground,” he said.

Ezemvelo spokesperson Musa Mntambo said its fencing would be replaced soon, and those who had lost cattle would be compensated after investigations.