BY STEPHEN CHADENGA ZHOMBE villagers are living in fear of stray lions that have been devouring their livestock in recent weeks, Southern Eye has learnt.
Villagers said at least five lions have been seen in the Empress area where they killed three cattle.
Brighton Moyo, a villager said: “About five lions were seen drinking water at Ngondoma Dam last week where they had killed three cattle.”
Another villager, Moleen Sibanda said they were living in fear of the marauding lions. She urged the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) to intervene and remove the lions.
“Our greatest fear is that the lions could end up attacking people, hence we appeal to the National Parks to intervene,” Sibanda said.
ZimParks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo was yesterday not picking calls and had not responded to text messages sent to him by Southern Eye.
In recent months, human-wildlife conflicts particularly involving lions have been reported in Kariba and Binga. Two years ago, ZimParks had to dispatch rangers to hunt down two lions that had mauled two men in Chipinge before they attacked livestock.
ZimParks often blames wildlife overpopulation and habitat loss for the increasing human-wildlife conflicts as wild animals encroach onto human settlements in search of water and food.
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