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Nokukhanya Moyo, Sunday News Reporter
MORE than 10 cattle have been killed in attacks by lions that strayed into villages in Dete, Matabeleland North recently.
Villagers said about 10 cattle have been killed while others have been wounded in Chezhou village close to Marist Brothers High School. Hwange District Administrator Mr Simon Muleya confirmed that there were lions that were attacking people’s livestock.
He, however, could not be drawn into giving more information saying he was informed by the rural district councils chief executive officer before he went for a meeting.
“The CEO highlighted the issue of the lions and how they were attacking people’s livestock but unfortunately I did not get more information from him with regards to the solutions that were put in place as I went for some meeting,” said Mr Muleya.
One of the villagers Mr Donald Ncube said one lion and two lionesses have been moving around their village for the past two months.
“Last week the lionesses were killed by professional hunters after they had killed two cattle, the remaining lion is wounded but it is still being seen around the villages,” he said.
He said the problem they were facing was that villagers’ complaints were not taken seriously by the parks department.
He claimed the lions were being planted in their villages by researchers.
“They will be carrying out exercises with the lions and in 2014 a Grade Two pupil was killed by a lion and also more than 70 cattle were killed within a year because of the researchers’ negligence,” he added.
@nonozar3
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