Could a lion be roaming the M18 between Pretoria and Centurion?
This question arose after a user on X posted a photo early Wednesday morning, claiming a lion was seen next to the road.
The caption read: “There is a lion on the M18 between Pretoria and Centurion. Please be safe.”
There is a lion on the M18 between Pretoria and Centurion. Please be safe. pic.twitter.com/PdPxpBpWla
— Dr Chauke 📝 (@_BlackZA) August 14, 2024
The photo quickly spread across social media and WhatsApp groups, with warnings for residents to exercise caution.
However, by Wednesday evening, no further sightings had been reported, and Pretoria authorities were unaware of any lion on the loose.
Rekord attempted to reach out to the user who initially posted the photo, but no response has been received.
A reverse image search on Google revealed similar photos of lions spotted in the Kruger National Park.
This incident comes after a lion was spotted last year in March along the R511 near the Hennops Hiking Trail. Weeks prior to that, a lioness escaped while being transported between game farms in the North West and was later shot and killed after being found.
Also read: Lion on the loose along the R511 in Centurion
At this time, the recent report of a lion on the M18 remains unconfirmed.
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