By Isaac Zulu
Luano district commissioner Kells Meleki says he has engaged the Department of Wildlife and National Parks over the lions that are terrorising people and eating domestic animals from a reserved national park in the area.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, Meleki said lions are terrorising villagers in Chimika ward in Luano district and are now killing and eating domestic animals, in chief Chembe’s chiefdom and have so far attacked and eaten five herds of cattle and seven goats in Chimika ward.
“I can confirm that some stray lions are terrorising villagers in our district, specifically in Chimika ward in Luano district in Chief Chembe’s area,” Meleki explained. “This is the fifth day and five cows and about seven goats belonging to the settlers there have been killed and eaten by the lions. As we speak, our people in communities around Chief Chembe’s chiefdom are living in constant fear.”
Meleki explained that the stray lions are coming from a reserved national park in Luano valley, adding that the district administration in the area has since engaged the Department of Wildlife and National Parks so that the lions can be controlled.
“As you are aware, Chimika ward is in Luano valley and part of that ward is a reserved national park. And it is from this reserved national park that these stray lions are coming from. And as such, we can not recommend that these lions be killed, but be controlled. It is against this background, therefore, as district administration we decided to approach and engage the Department of Wildlife and National Parks so that the stray lions can be controlled,” he said.
Meleki further implored villagers in Chief Chembe’s area to be alert and ensure that they move in groups each time they are going out of their respective residences.
“We experienced this even last year during the same period of the year. And as you know, the grass is tall in the valley this time of the year. Our caution to the villagers, therefore, is that they should be cautious and on high alert especially in the night. They should be moving in groups and avoid unnecessarily in the night. As district administration, we are doing our level best to ensure that the people in Luano valley are safe. With our engagement with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks the situation today appears to be calm and no incidence of lions terrorising villagers in that area.”
Reports of animal-human conflict are common in Chief Chembe’s chiefdom during and shortly after the harvest season.
1 Comment