Africa-Press – South-Africa. Six lions from Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park in KwaZulu-Natal have been euthanised after killing six cows and “terrorising” residents.
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife said residents of Nqulwane and Okhukho feared walking in the areas at night. The lions were killed on Friday, said Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesperson Musa Mntambo.
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“The six lions had killed six cows before they were destroyed, and the figure of cows killed may rise as some community members still have to take stock of their cows.
Mntambo said:
According to Mntambo, several residents claimed that they had come into contact with the lions, and instead of their normal behaviour of running away, the lions had walked toward them and forced them to retreat.
“The decision to destroy this pride of lions was taken following several community protests that resulted in a group of community members cutting the fence and staging a sit-in inside Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park,” said Mntambo.
“They threatened to not only sit inside Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park until [KwaZulu-Natal] Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs [MEC] Ravi Pillay resolved their issues, but also to hunt and kill any lions they saw,” added Mntambo.
The group met with Pillay on Tuesday, and it was resolved that the lions would be killed if they escape again.
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