Siphakeme .Mnindwa
Gibson Mhaka
VILLAGERS in Funda and Dibutibu, in Ward Four of Tsholotsho, Matabeleland North Province, are living in fear of a stray lion that is reportedly terrorising the area and has reportedly killed about 10 cattle within two weeks.
Villagers are also reportedly at risk of being attacked by the predator. A villager, Majahanyana Ndlovu from Funda Village, said he lost a cow, while his uncle lost four cows in a single night.
“So far, about 10 cattle have been killed within two weeks. I lost one cow, while my uncle lost four on the same day. When I lost mine, the lion entered the kraal and killed the animal. We have tried contacting the lion research team and Campfire (Community Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources) without success.
“The lion is frequently seen roaming the area, so most villagers are afraid of losing their livestock, and some are keeping their animals in kraals for much of the day.
“Although only one lion has been sighted and is terrorising the area so far, multiple lions have also been seen roaming the area. This has been a long-standing problem for us,” lamented Ndlovu.
He said although there have been no reported cases of the lion attacking people, villagers were living in fear of being targeted.
“If something isn’t done to return the lion to the national park, it will eventually prey on humans,” Ndlovu said.
He added that the predator was also a threat to children, particularly those who walk long distances to school.
Another villager said swift action should be taken before any lives are lost.
“Usually, authorities only respond to such calls after a life has been lost. We hope this won’t be the case this time. It can be avoided,” the villager said.
Ward 4 Councillor Gift Tshuma confirmed the incident, saying lions have become a menace in the area.
“The lions are wreaking havoc, and currently, there’s one that is frequently seen roaming the villages. It has reportedly killed about 10 herd of cattle in the Funda and Dibutibu areas. We reported this to ZimParks (the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority), but no action has been taken so far. Villagers are now afraid of being attacked. The lion is so daring that it’s even attacking cattle within kraals,” he said.
A Campfire official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they have since deployed rangers to the area with orders to kill any lions they encounter.
“We deployed our rangers last week, but unfortunately, the lions come out of the forests at night and return after attacking livestock. We have now deployed two rangers to be stationed in the area so that they can kill any lions that appear.
“The last incident they reported involved a cheetah, which also killed a calf. We have also called a meeting with stakeholders, such as lion researchers, who will help alert villagers if lions are seen, so they can avoid taking their cattle to those areas,” the official said.
Online Reporter