KOMATIPOORT – A chopper might be soon on the scene where the Kruger lions that were on the loose yesterday were last seen: On the Komatipoort road near the Mananga turn-off.
“It is chaos out here with everybody rushing to the scene. We ask the public to help us to stay away and help us to do our work,” said Mr Louw Steyn of the MTPA.
He confirmed to Lowvelder this morning that they came across a cow’s carcass this morning in a farmer’s kraal after they followed the lions’ tracks. The lions have now most probably split up in two groups.
At present, the MTPA are looking for the lions on the Mananga turn-off to Swaziland. Heavy mist has prevented them from being able to do a proper search.
Mr William Mabasa, acting head of Communications at SANParks, said to Lowvelder this morning that the lions are still outside of the Park and that the rangers are searching for them.
Mr Gerhardus Harmse, an electrician from Komatipoort, saw the two males and four females first at 5:00 yesterday morning a few kilometres away from the filling station on the way to the Lebombo Border Post.
“I almost ran into the one lion, but was able to drive around it and came back to shine my light on the lions against the road so that the other cars don’t run into them,” said Harmse. He was on his way to work in Mozambique.
A security patrol car came by and helped Harmse to shine lights on the lions and the lions thereafter disappeared into the bush.
The Border Police were called in. Lt. Col. Mabuna, SAPS station commander at Lebombo, confirmed to Lowvelder yesterday that the police sat at the spot where the lions were seen until the SANParks rangers and the MTPA rangers and veterinarians arrived just before daylight. The search was on, and was concentrated toward a camp of a farmer where they suspected the lions may be heading.
Late yesterday afternoon the MTPA confirmed to Lowvelder that no animals or people from the surrounding communities were hurt.
Sergeant Gerald Sedibe, provincial spokesperson for SAPS, asked communities to be aware of the lions on the loose. Warnings were sent out by Whatsapp from the security companies.
People spotting the animals are asked to contact KNP on 0137354000 or their nearest SAPS station.
READ more about the Krugerlions on the loose last year in Komatipoort
READ more about when Sylvester, the famous escapee took to the road
