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Namibia: Two Survive Lioness Attack

By Obrein Simasiku

Tsumeb — A game ranger from Etosha National Park and a local farm worker in the Oshikoto Region survived a lioness attack on Sunday following a hot pursuit to track the pride of three that killed a cow at Kalangula farm last Saturday.

The two victims were admitted to the Tsumeb State Hospital on Sunday with serious to minor injuries to their legs, thighs, arms and backs. However their condition has stabilised.

The incident happened at Joseph Ehafo farm around 10am when the two victims had caught up with the big cats after they had killed and devoured a cow. The two men lucky to be alive were identified as Linus Titus of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and Petrus Ndilimani, a worker at Kalangula farm.

Titus' colleague, identified as Toivo Shivute, was lucky not to be attacked at all as he was away to collect the vehicle when the incident took place.



Ndilimani was transferred yesterday afternoon to Oshakati State Hospital for orthopaedic care as he suffered a fractured arm. Tsumeb hospital does not have an orthopaedic unit.

"It just happened so fast, after my colleague went to get the car, which was very far from where we were. When he (Shivute) was gone to fetch the car we decided to track further and hardly a few metres from there we came across the lion, in close proximity to us, five to 10 metres away. Then the lion charged fiercely towards us and I started shooting. Luckily some bullets hit her and she retreated," Titus narrated their ordeal from hospital.

"Just after we followed it not far from where we had shot it, we met again at close proximity. My partner then asked if I was seeing the same thing and while we were still aiming, it charged us while running in a zigzag way, making it difficult for us to aim and this time it was very aggressive. I ran out of bullets and it caught up with me and bit me on my left. I then started fighting back by kicking it with my right leg, but then it bit me on the thigh and tried to grab me by the throat. I then held it in the neck with my left hand with the right in the mouth," recollected Titus, who has been working as game guard for 20 years but described the incident as horrific and the most terrifying in his entire career.



He said this was his sixth encounter with lions but in the others he had escaped unhurt.

Titus said he shouted to his partner "Shoot, shoot, don't worry about me" while he was wrestling with the lion. However things turned nasty for Ndilimani when he shot at the lion and it turned back and charged him and bit his left arm while he was holding the gun and injured him on the back.

"At that moment I could not move anymore; I was becoming powerless, and I shouted to him (Ndilimani) to be still and avoid too much movements as I reached for bullets in my backpack.

"Then I managed and started shouting at it, and that's how we killed it. Literally the lion died on top of my partner and in the process the gun was damaged," recounted Titus.



Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environemnt and Tourism Deputy Minister Tommy Nambahu visited the two in hospital yesterday and took them some food. He commended them for their bravery saying that their act was a heroic one and that one in a million can survive and withstand such an attack by a lioness.

"We will take responsibility for the victims including Ndilimani who is not part of our workforce, but his input cannot be overlooked as it was a heroic deed. I will talk to the technical people and find out what measures and benefits we can assist him with," said Nambahu.

He said that with regard to the MET staff the incident is a duty related one and all the laws that apply to all civil servants in similar incidences will be applicable.

"We are working on strengthening the policies so that they cater for those that are injured during human-wildlife conflict, as the one in place only caters for the loss of life, not the injured," added Nambahu.

Lions in the wild can be dangerous.

Wow, I hope they heal up OK. Brian

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Namibia: Two More Lions Spotted At Omangetti

By Marx Itamalo


FOLLOWING the killing of a lioness which attacked a tourism ranger and a farm foreman on Sunday at Omangetti near Oshivelo, two more lions have been spotted there on Monday.

Petrus Ndilimani, a foreman at the Kalangula farm and environment ministry ranger Titus Linus were attacked as they followed the spoor of the lioness and her two cubs in the same area.

The lions, including a male which was killed a week earlier, had escaped from the Etosha National Park. They had been preying on livestock in the surrounding farms before environment ministry rangers were called in to track them. As the two rangers and the farm foreman followed the spoor, they came face to face with the angry lioness, which attacked them.

The lioness was reportedly grieving the loss of her male companion. Ndilimani suffered a broken arm, a dislocated shoulder and was also mauled on the back. Titus suffered injuries on his back, legs and arms by the time the lion was killed. Due to the nature of his injuries, Ndilimani was transferred to the Oshakati State Hospital.



Timoteus 'Chicken' Kanime of the Kalangula farm where the incident happened told The Namibian yesterday that two lions were spotted by members of the public near Oshivelo on Monday afternoon.

Asked if he had heard about two more lions which might have escaped from the national park, environment minister Pohamba Shifeta said he suspects the two lions which were spotted were part of the pride that already escaped and which attacked the two men.

"We have sent out helicopters in search of them," he said yesterday.

Kanime said the lions will cause public alarm as their number in the vicinity of the farms will now be four.

"I was reliably informed yesterday (Monday) that two lions were spotted sunbathing near the railway," he said, adding that NDF members stationed at Oshivelo were immediately alerted and went looking for them.

He said the area will now be unsafe for people, and farmers expect more losses because of the two young lions.



"They are young, and will find it difficult to get back (to the park)."

Kanime said at this time of the year, wild animals such as lions and hyenas always escape from the game park to prey on farmers' livestock.

"It is always like this every year. They come and kill livestock," he said. "Hyenas are like rats in this area. They are so many, and our cattle have lost tails because of hyenas."

Kanime said this is the first time in years that an incident of this nature has happened.

He said farmers in the area appreciate government's efforts to locate dangerous animals when they escape from the park, but they want more reasonable compensation.

"One is only paid between N$700 - N$900 for a cow. That is too litle, and they must increase this," he stressed.