Africa-Press – Namibia. OFFICIALS of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism were yesterday dispatched to the mountainous area behind the Avis residential area of Windhoek after a large male leopard was spotted by residents.
The game wardens were called to the scene to assess if the situation warranted any danger to residents or their pets after it was reported that the ferocious predator was seen drinking water at the Avis Dam. The ministry’s spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda, has, however, called for calm as officials are monitoring the situation.
“The ministry is aware of the leopard, but there is no cause for concern. The leopard is not in a residential area as naturally leopards avoid people. We are monitoring the situation,” Muyunda said last night.
After the sighting, dog walkers and people who like to use the wild surroundings of the dam to do their daily exercise, alerted each other to avoid the area until the situation is declared safe.
The leopard was reportedly first spotted in the vicinity of Lenie Street and it is believed that the animal was simply looking for baboons, its main source of food in the mountains to the east of Windhoek. The animal was photographed when it made an appearance on a rocky outcrop.
