Six vagrant lions relocated to Kruger National Park

The SANParks and Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) confirmed that six lions had been relocated from the Riverside Farm in Malalane on August 13 to the far northern part of the Kruger National Park (KNP), an area that currently has few resident lions.

Meanwhile, some of the residents of Mjejane said they are not happy with the lions’ relocation, claiming that the area had been their home for a while and that one male had been left behind. Others welcomed the decision for the relocation of the animals, as they believe the KNP and MTPA knew what they were doing.

According to the MTPA’s spokesperson, Simphiwe Shungube, the lions were vagrant on a farm for more than a week posing a risk to the farm workers. “The MTPA, as the authority responsible for dealing with animals outside of protected areas, which pose a danger to humans, requested that the KNP assist with veterinary support for darting and relocation back to the park to an area where they will not be harassed by resident lions,” he said.

Shungube said these animals could not be moved back to the same area of the park as they had been chased away by a new male lion coalition and would have been killed or escaped out of the KNP again, posing a risk to neighbouring communities.
“A decision was made by both the MTPA and SANParks to relocate the lions to the northern areas of the KNP where there currently are few resident lions to give them an opportunity to thrive. The operation was conducted in August when six of the lions were successfully darted, collared for monitoring and transported safely to their new territory. They are currently being monitored and seem to have settled well in the new area,” he said.

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One of the residents, Chanie Eekhout, said: “Can someone from SANParks please give me more details on the Mjejane lions that were darted and taken up north? Those lions were born in Mjejane. We, as homeowners, have watched them grow up. We have grown to love them, and we’ve even documented all of them. We have a file on all their markings and behaviour.

“So, to wake up one day and find out they were darted and moved up north, where poaching and poisoning is rife, was a huge shock. We want to know why they were moved and why one young male was left behind.”
SANParks said it takes all the concerns seriously, however, the team only darted the lions they found together at the time. “It is also important to stress on how timing is an integral component when such an activity is conducted for both the safety of the animals and personnel involved. There have never been any plans to leave any animal that was part of the pride behind.”