ONE LION DESTROYED

05 February 2025

Yesterday, 03 February 2025, a team comprising various government departments and private organizations, including those with professional hunting dogs, managed to destroy one of the three lions that had been living in the bush in the Gluckstadt area. The search team consisted of both ground and airborne forces. The lion was destroyed following a successful tracking effort by the dogs, which traced the lions’ movements.

As the dogs followed the trail, two lions suddenly appeared at a distance from where the armed team was stationed. During the chase, a third lion appeared nearby, and the dogs shifted their focus to it, allowing the professional hunters to destroy it. The remaining two lions escaped into nearby bushes, prompting the team to halt the search until the next sighting.

Ezemvelo CEO, Mr. Sihle Mkhize, has expressed his appreciation to various non-governmental organizations that assisted in the search using their own resources. Mr. Mkhize also conveyed his sadness for the community members who lost their livestock to the lions.

“I know their spirits are crushed, as their livelihood depends on their livestock. We empathize with them. The process of assessing the extent of their losses will begin shortly. I appeal to the community to cooperate with our conservation officers once the process begins. In the meantime, I urge them to continue bringing their livestock home in the evenings to prevent further losses.”

Ezemvelo further appeals to the local community to continue cooperating, as they have been doing, by immediately informing the local traditional leadership, police, or Ezemvelo District Conservation Officer (Lucky Zulu-0829454255) if they spot the escaped lions.

For enquiries, you can contact Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Communications Manager.

Musa Mntambo
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife: Communications Manager
Tel: +27 (0) 33 845 1743
Cell: +27 (0) 83 284 9586
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.