Lion that escaped from Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park spotted feeding on cows knocked down by a train, not yet captured

Last week four animals escaped form the Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park including two rhinos and two lions, the lions exited the park through a gully near a railway line and one lion has since been destroyed after it killed four cows.

File Picture: African News Agency (ANA) Archives

Published Aug 14, 2022

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Durban - One of two lions that escaped last week from the Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park in northern KwaZulu-Natal was spotted on Sunday morning allegedly scavenging on dead cows, that were knocked by a train.

Last week four animals escaped form the Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park including two rhinos – by damaging a fence and two lions – through a gully near a railway line and one lion has since been destroyed after it killed four cows.

“Ezemvelo managed to re-capture one rhino on Thursday, 11 August 2022. The second rhino that had been shot at by one community member, in its confused state, and due to its short sightedness ran toward a nearby homestead where it stamped on a 45-year-old female. It also caused damage to the fence of some nearby homes,” said Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesperson Musa Mntambo.

The woman was injured and is recovering in hospital.

Mntambo says the second lion has not yet been captured.

“We received a report that one lion was seen this morning eating cows which were killed by a coal train. Our guys are following up.”

The escape of these four animals have sparked a protest from residents from the nearby village as it was not the first time that wildlife from the park escaped into the community.

The protest has led to the Cengeni Gate of the reserve being closed.