Lions unleash terror in Nkange

Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Thursday August 17, 2017 11:25

 

Mmegi is informed that the Wildlife department has kick-started a clean-up operation, which includes veterinary, wildlife officers and a professional hunter from Charles Hill in Kgalagadi in order to capture the lions, which could number over 10.

Nkange village chief, Kgosi Toteng Nzonga said the lions descended on the area mid-July and began preying on domestic animals, triggering fear among local villagers. Since that time, he said, the five lions, which comprise a male lion, a lioness and three cubs, had already killed 25 cows, 17 goats and six donkeys.

The estimated value for the livestock killed, according to Nzonga, is P100,000, P10,200 for goats and P6,000 for donkeys. “Some people have abandoned their lands because they fear that the lions might attack them,” the chief said. “We are worried that these dreaded cats might attack school-going children during the day.

“Villagers are even scared to walk during the night. “The situation has made it difficult for people to perform their duties outside their homesteads, especially those who harvest thatching grass.

“People are going to die of hunger as some depend on this grass harvesting as well as activities such as crop and animal production to generate income.” He said prior to the lions’ arrival, the village had been terrorised by elephants which destroyed crops and left the majority of farmers empty-handed after the cropping season.

“The elephants destroyed our crops and now as if we have not suffered enough, we have lions killing our livestock,” he said. The village chief said reports had long been made at the Tutume Wildlife office, but no assistance had been forthcoming. He said on Monday, a senior Wildlife official had visited the village and promised to sort out the situation.

“These lions are causing havoc in the farmlands. It has been a month now since they started killing our livestock, but nothing has been done by the relevant authorities,” he said. Wildlife deputy director, Rexboy Mokandla confirmed the reign of terror caused by lions in Nkange, saying their data showed that six cattle and 17 goats had been killed thus far.

Although five lions are known to be in the area, Mokandla said more than 10 could possibly be operating in the area. “We suspect that the lions might have found refuge at an abandoned range land near the affected villages and we also suspect that we might find more than 10 lions in the area,” he said. “Lions target this season because after harvesting people leave their livestock to graze freely on their lands.”