Cape Town – A lion that reportedly escaped from the Pilanesberg National Park in the North West on Saturday is still on the loose, the North West Department of Economic Development, Environment Conservation and Tourism said on Monday.
“Community members are… urged to exercise caution and be on the lookout for the lion,” the department said in a Facebook post.
According to The Citizen, the lion was first spotted by a farmer in Mahobieskraal after it mauled his goat.
It remained unclear how it escaped.
A search by air was conducted. A bait trap was also set up with the hope that the lion would be lured and be captured, however, that wasn’t the case.
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“We do not know where it went as no tracks were found of the escape route. Suffice to say it could be from Pilanesberg but we cannot assume until we investigate further. The search continues,” said park ranger Steve Dell in a statement.
“We ask the communities around the park to be vigilant when they see the lion outside the park. Please call our control room on 014 555 1606 or your local SAPS, who are in contact with park rangers.”
Animals periodically escape from parks across the country.
In 2020, seven lions made a dash for it and escaped from the Alldays Lodge in Limpopo. A year before that, a pride of 14 lions escaped from the Kruger National Park, The Citizen reported.
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Compiled by Sinothando Siyolo
