Lions wreak havoc in Tsholotsho

Chronicle Reporter
May 31, 2010



VILLAGERS from Mlevu line in Tsholotsho District are losing more than 10 head of cattle per week to a pride of 15 lions that invaded the area more than a month ago.
In an interview in Tsholotsho on Friday, Headman Mlevu said villagers were afraid that the lions would wipe out their livestock.
“A number of villagers have lost a lot of cattle, with the lions attacking between four and six beasts per kraal. Because of their number, these lions can attack six beasts at one time, eat and finish all of the meat before attacking more beasts,” he said.
“In the end some villagers lose up to 10 head of cattle per week. The lions also attack goats and sheep, and if the trend is to be allowed to go on then livestock will be totally wiped out. Hyenas are also causing problems in the area although their damage is far less compared to that caused by the lions.”
Headman Mlevu said the matter was reported to the Tsholotsho Rural District Council and the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority but nothing had been done.
“Only a local concession holder has managed to shoot two lions and a hyena but that is not enough. We need urgent intervention because the villagers are losing their wealth to these marauding lions,” he said.
“The villagers are also living in fear for their own lives because can you imagine in what state the lions will leave you in the event that you stumble on them? The villagers no longer feel safe until something is done immediately.”
A villager who lost four beasts to the lions called on the relevant authorities to intervene before the situation got out of hand.
“These cattle are our source of wealth hence the authorities need to understand the urgency with which they have to deal with this matter. Situations like these, if allowed to continue, will lead to villagers taking the law into their own hands as they cannot stand by and watch their cattle perish,” said the villager.
“That is why you will hear cases where villagers set their own traps and start killing the lions on their own because they cannot continue losing their livestock. This can, however, be avoided if the relevant authorities are quick in their response.”

I was in tsholotjo from the 22 of april to the 1st of april and there had shoot 2 lioness(pac), a week later we shoot a lion(pac) and a hiena within one night. on the next week we tried, as we got more permits (pac) to shoot some more but they had gone into the park. If the moratorio of shooting lions was not on they would get a good income from this source but i can promise that the local holders of the cocesion ar doing as much as they are autoriced to do.

Sorry for my shitty english. Also the lions are only killing the cattle that is not taken to the kraals at night. Cattle that is well looked after usually does not get killed. The lions are completelly unafraid of people and shoots at nigth, but during daytime they dissapear into the park. after I left duting the next two weeks they had not come out of the park. the pride has got left 3 lions and 9 lioness. if you want to know how are the lions that are left find tho photo of Zimbabwesafari.Matupula hunters