'No need to panic', but there are 14 lions on the loose in Phalaborwa
According to the Department's Zaid Kalla, they are aware of where the lions are and have rangers monitoring them.
The Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment, and Tourism says about 14 lions are on the loose in the Phalaborwa area, but there is no need to panic.
According to the Department's Zaid Kalla, they are aware of where the lions are and have rangers monitoring them.
Kalla says local communities have been alerted to the presence of the lions and authorisation has been obtained to relocate the lions in the Kruger National Park with the necessary logistical arrangements now being made.
"We are currently still tracking where exactly they managed to escape from the Kruger National Park, but at the moment they are roaming around Foskor mine around Phalaborwa," said Kalla.
He explains that while the lions are from the park, wild animals do escape the park from time to time when, for example, elephants damage the fence or animals dig under the fence.
"We must also keep in mind lions are territorial animals - when the male grows in the pride you find they are kicked out of the pride and they must go look for an area of their own and as they are doing that and the fence has fallen they will escape, not knowing that they are escaping," explained Kalla.
He says people living in the area have been warned about the lions' presence and should not take matters into their own hands and try and shoot or capture the lions.
"They must just slowly back away and then report what they have just seen to the relevant authorities," Kalla says.