Fate of lions under probe

Masvingo Bureau
August 13, 2010

THE National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has set up a taskforce to determine the fate of at least 300 lions that were abandoned by their owners over the past five years.

Parks director-general Mr Vitalis Chadenga said they were looking at how best to save the situation.

Mr Chadenga said most of the felines could not be released into the wild as their chances of survival were slim.

"We want to withdraw our officers from looking after these.

"We have set up a taskforce that will look into the issue of these 300 lions," said Mr Chadenga.

In Masvingo, the Parks Authority is caring for nearly 60 lions abandoned by Mr Ronnie Sparrow, who operated Simply Wild on the shores of Lake Mutirikwi.

The lions have been a constant cause for villagers’ concern as they fear the cats could attack them and their livestock.

On several occasions some lions have breached the perimeter fence.

However, no human or livestock fatalities are yet to be recorded.