REUTERS
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Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife authorities are looking for a lion that has been seen roaming around Ulundi.
It was seen between Intibane Lodge and Ophathe game reserve, along the King Dinizulu highway in Ulundi, at 1am yesterday, said spokesman Musa Mntambo.
He said that a man driving to his Ulundi home had seen the lion crossing the road.
Another man, who would only be identified by his surname, Mpotshane, told The Mercury yesterday that he had seen the lion on Monday afternoon.
“I was driving on the King Dinizulu highway at 5pm on Monday and saw the lion cross the road. It walked into the town and I drove off,” he said.
Conservation officer Jabulani Biyela was sent to the site where the lion was first seen and found paw prints. Mntambo said that rangers were following the tracks and warned that the animal could be dangerous if it was hungry.
He said people should call Ezemvelo if they saw it.
Mntambo said the lion would be tranquillised when found.
It was unclear where the big cat had come from.
Kelly Marnewick, the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s carnivore conservation programme manager, said that game generally avoided humans, but advised people not to walk around after dark until the lion was caught.
“Children should be kept near homesteads and domestic animals secured at night until the lion is captured.
“If anyone sees the lion, it should not be approached and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife should be contacted,” she said.
Anyone who sees the lion should call Jabulani Biyela at 082 708 8860 or 035 870 0703.
In 2002, a lion that escaped by crawling under a fence of the Hluhlulwe-Imfolozi Park was shot by a game ranger after roaming the surrounding area for five months.
The lion had killed seven cows and a donkey, and a decision was taken to kill the runaway after attempts to return it to the park had failed.
