adminMunyaradzi Musiiwa Midlands Correspondent
A pride of lions which reportedly escaped from Save Conservancy in Masvingo province has allegedly wreaked havoc in Buhera and Chipinge districts in Manicaland killing more than 170 cattle.
According to villagers the stray lions escaped from Save Conservancy and crossed into Manicaland where they are reportedly terrorising villagers and killing their livestock.
The villagers claimed that more than 170 cattle were killed during a period extending from January last year to this month.
Buhera Ward 33 councillor, Clr Edwin Mabika, whose three cattle were killed on Thursday last week, confirmed that the lions were terrorising the villagers and killing their livestock.
Clr Mabika said this has left most villagers without livestock.
He said villagers were now living in fear of the lions that intermittently attack their livestock near Save-Devure rivers confluence at the border of Manicaland and Masvingo provinces.
“My three cattle were killed by the lions on Thursday morning and the other three were killed last year. These lions have killed over 170 cattle in these areas and some parts of Chipinge just across Save River a few kilometres from our area,” he said.
Clr Mabika said there have been recurrent incidents of the lions pouncing on their livestock while in the grazing areas for the past few years.
He said there was need for responsible authorities to take immediate action and find a lasting solution so that the villagers will not continue losing their cattle.
Chipinge district administrator Edgars Seenza confirmed that lions were intermittently escaping from Save Conservancy and killing livestock in different areas that were along Save River.
“I’ve received reports that the lions stray into villages near Save River and kill villagers’ livestock. This is probably because cattle are easy prey. I don’t have the exact figure or number of cattle that were killed by the lions,” he said.
Bangwa village head in Chipinge said his subjects had also lost cattle as a result of the attacks by the stray lions and said the villagers now fear for their lives as the lions pose a serious danger to them particularly school children.
His assistant, Patrick Mlambo, who lost four cattle, said there was need for villagers to be compensated for the loss of their cattle.
“In this village people have lost cattle to these lions and most villagers have been impoverished because livestock is their means of survival. We’ve an example of Chihamba Mtisi whose 15 cattle were killed by the lions. That was a great loss and has a great impact on his life,” he said.
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management spokesperson Caroline Washaya-Moyo could neither deny nor confirm the incidents.
“I’m not aware that there are stray lions killing livestock in Chipinge. I’ll have to get hold of the responsible offices and I’ll get back to you,” she said.
Online Reporter