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Zimbabwe: Parks Department Ignore Lion Alert



CHIREDZI EAST MP Denford Masiya has attacked the department of national parks for not responding to a report that lions were spotted in the Masekesa village where they are devouring livestock.

Masiya said lions have been spotted in the area for the past three weeks and reports are that eleven goats and a cow have been lost to the predators so far.

He said the presence of the animals has also disrupted schooling with pupils attending Hlanganani secondary school absconding lessons in fear of the lions.

The lions are said to have been noticed within a few meters from the school.

"Villagers advised me of the lions and I immediately notified the parks and wildlife management authority to come and attend to the situation.

"They started giving excuses, saying they do not have transport and I even offered them transport. Then they said they do not have guns; this is a serious matter which requires urgent response, villagers are losing livestock to the predators," Masiya said.

Officials in the department of National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority in Masvingo could neither confirm nor deny the development when contacted for comment, referring all questions to their Harare office.

"It's not the organization's policy to talk to the media; all questions should be directed to head office were we file our reports to," said an official.

Chiredzi East constituency borders the giant Gonarazhou National Park, and villagers believe the lions could have strayed from there or from vast conservancies found within the constituency.

Government at its best. And we wonder why Africans feel the need to poison lions.

Canada would appoint a committee to consult the locals and then commission a feasability study to determine a plan of action and then either put it out to tender or have hiring competitions to staff the positions necessary for the hunting of the lions. It wouldn't matter by then because the natives and the cows and the lions would all have died of old age. Problem solved,another momentous decision!