KZN community feasts on culled lions as revenge for livestock killing

[Mekon]

Lions can carry some scary diseases.

I hope karma does a "surprise muthafukka" on these cretins.

 

[konfab]

Ezemvelo rangers had killed the lions on Friday. But before they could be taken, the angry residents started skinning and roasting them in public.

I suppose they didn't want the corpses lion around.

 

[Pak Fa Fui]

I thought lion meat wasn't edible?

The Philips airfryer changed that

 

[borro]

 

[Fulcrum29]

True or not, who knows

Then the community are expansionists and is using Ezemvelo to either extend their grazing land or to hunt game, perhaps more. Now you need to ask, why isn’t the situation being policed?

 

[wingnut771]

Then the community are expansionists and is using Ezemvelo to either extend their grazing land or to hunt game, perhaps more. Now you need to ask, why isn’t the situation being policed?

because the people doing the policing got the job with the colour of their skin and not the content of their character.

 

[RiaX]

I suppose if you burn the schite out of it you could eat it ....

 

[ForceFate]

Bon appetit fellas.

 

[Guest 290922]

Oh no it's cannibalism for me to eat lion biltong.

 

[Guest 290922]

Lions can carry some scary diseases.

Caged lions have range of harmful pathogens | News24

Lion farms could put public health and thousands of animals at risk of disease.

www.news24.com

 

[Fulcrum29]

Yep, Ezemvelo appeased the community,

Six lions put down after killing cows, losing 'fear of human beings' | News24

Six lions from Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park in KwaZulu-Natal have been euthanised after killing six cows and 'terrorising' residents.

www.news24.com

"The decision to destroy this pride of lions was taken following several community protests that resulted in a group of community members cutting the fence and staging a sit-in inside Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park," said Mntambo.

"They threatened to not only sit inside Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park until [KwaZulu-Natal] Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs [MEC] Ravi Pillay resolved their issues, but also to hunt and kill any lions they saw," added Mntambo.

as I pointed out, Ezemvelo do have issues with securing the property due to breaches being made.

In time, the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park will be displaced by this and other communities.

Just to have a look at the demands,

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park communities win battle against six lions

Ezemvelo KZN wildlife says six lions that have been terrorising two communities near the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park and attacking livestock have been destroyed.

www.ecr.co.za

"They met the MEC Ravi Pillay on Tuesday and several resolutions were taken, including that the lions should be destroyed if they escape again as it was feared that they might soon attack people. Plans to repair the fence will be brought forward and local people should be employed."

All good and well to employ local people, but who are destroying the fence, outsiders?

The media is only focussing on the lions which was feared by the community, that isn't the problem, media.

 

[Xino_sam]

So when a lion eats a person, the lion gets shot, so when people eat a lion...

 

[Paulsie]

My problem is with the opening sentence,

"Fed up with having their livestock devoured by lions that occasionally escape"

was Ezemvelo aware that their lions occasionally escape, and did they address the issue prior to the culling? Then, why are the lions escaping or are the cattle 'straying' on Ezemvelo land?

Reading up on Ezemvelo's Facebook,



so what is the symptom here? Someone is ****ing up.

Just came back from HIP last week. It is slowly being turned into a nature reserve (not that much game left).

The escaping problem stems from the fact that outside communities make holes in fences to access the bush meat in the park. This then creates an escape route for lions, hyenas and wild dogs to be able to get out (as "hunting" goats is so much easier than chasing after an impala).

 

[Fulcrum29]

Here is a Daily Maverick article from a week ago,

HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT: Pride of lions driven back to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park after killing five cattle

A pride of lions has been shepherded back into the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park after killing at least five cattle in the neighbouring Okhukho area, near Ulundi in KwaZulu-Natal.

www.dailymaverick.co.za

Pride of lions driven back to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park after killing five cattle​

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesperson Musa Mntambo said the lions were believed to have crawled under a damaged section of the boundary fence adjoining the Okhukho rural community on 5 July, where they attacked and killed five cattle before returning to the park.

The predators (some fitted with tracking collars) escaped again about a day later, but were driven back into the park by Ezemvelo staff, with the help of a helicopter.

However, angry community members are demanding that park managers take more effective measures to ensure that lions, and other wild animals, remain in the park.

Msizi Myaka, spokesperson for the Okhukho Community Civil Organisation, said local residents were “continuously living in danger and facing the daily possibility of being mauled, killed or their livestock decimated by lions”.

“[Last] week alone, we have recorded more than five consecutive cases of livestock eaten by a pride of lions that escaped from the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park. A few months ago, it was elephants that were roaming in the community vicinity.

“These incidents were reported to park officials and KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife, but they have failed to take preventive measures that limit lions from escaping the park,” he said.

Over recent years, the conservation agency has been criticised for its apparent failure to ensure the integrity of large sections of the boundary fence.

now it is a concern for lions escaping from its confined habitat, but elephants don't crawl through damaged sections of boundary fences, or they do, but then I am Dumbo.

Then from a fact-checking article of all things from a year ago,

Fact Check-Video does not show South African park fence torn down during July 2021 protests

Users are falsely claiming that video on social media shows a fence at the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa that was torn down by protests that have spread across the country following the jailing of former President Jacob Zuma.

www.reuters.com

Fact Check-Video does not show South African park fence torn down during July 2021 protests​

Users are falsely claiming that video on social media shows a fence at the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa that was torn down by protests that have spread across the country following the jailing of former President Jacob Zuma.

now ignoring the above, it was indeed damaged from another protest two months earlier,

Its full statement reads, “Please note that the video currently circulating showing that Hluhluwe Park’s fence has been destroyed is an old video. It was taken on 12th May 2021 following the community protest by the community of Biliya community. So far we have not experienced any damage to our property.”

News24 reported on May 12, 2021 (here) about damages to the park fence caused by protesters, who had gathered to demand employment from Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.

I can only think that there are differences between the management (and the property) of Ezemvelo and the surrounding communities.

 

[Fulcrum29]

Just came back from HIP last week. It is slowly being turned into a nature reserve (not that much game left).

The escaping problem stems from the fact that outside communities make holes in fences to access the bush meat in the park. This then creates an escape route for lions, hyenas and wild dogs to be able to get out (as "hunting" goats is so much easier than chasing after an impala).

This is the point I am conveying, the escaping lions are a problem, but that problem isn't the root of the issue which the media is placing emphasis on. There are deeper symptoms at play here.

 

[Mista_Mobsta]

Yep, Ezemvelo appeased the community,

Six lions put down after killing cows, losing 'fear of human beings' | News24

Six lions from Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park in KwaZulu-Natal have been euthanised after killing six cows and 'terrorising' residents.

www.news24.com

as I pointed out, Ezemvelo do have issues with securing the property due to breaches being made.

In time, the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park will be displaced by this and other communities.

Just to have a look at the demands,

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park communities win battle against six lions

Ezemvelo KZN wildlife says six lions that have been terrorising two communities near the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park and attacking livestock have been destroyed.

www.ecr.co.za

All good and well to employ local people, but who are destroying the fence, outsiders?

The media is only focussing on the lions which was feared by the community, that isn't the problem, media.

Yirre let me get this right...

Community cuts fence to illegally poach game.

Open fence allows dangerous wild animals to escape, including lions.

Community demands that lions be killed and demands local community employment to repair the broken fence.

Am I understanding this correctly??

 

[Fulcrum29]

Yirre let me get this right...

Community cuts fence to illegally poach game.

Open fence allows dangerous wild animals to escape, including lions.

Community demands that lions be killed and demands local community employment to repair the broken fence.

Am I understanding this correctly??

This is the length of damage caused by the protest last year,

Update | Out-of-control protesters damage Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park fencing | Witness

Millions of rands worth of damage has been caused after protesters destroyed more than a kilometre of fencing at Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park.

www.citizen.co.za

Update | Out-of-control protesters damage Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park fencing​

Millions of rands worth of damage has been caused after protesters destroyed more than a kilometre of fencing at Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park.​

Millions of rands worth of damage has been caused after protesters destroyed more than a kilometre of fencing at Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park.

They also damaged gates in the vicinity of Cibilenyathi Gate in the park’s Makhamisa section.

In a statement issued by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, officials said that the community protests — which started on Tuesday and continued on Wednesday— had become “violent and uncontrollable”.

“When the protesters were told that the organisation currently does not have any employment opportunities to offer all of them, they continued with cutting down poles and burnt them. Ezemvelo officials were forced to retreat when they realised that their lives were in danger.”
The organisation’s spokesperson, Musa Mtambo, said: “Attempts by Ezemvelo officials and South African Police Services to calm them down all fell on deaf ears.

“When the protesters were told that the organisation currently does not have any employment opportunities to offer all of them, they continued with cutting down poles and burnt them. Ezemvelo officials were forced to retreat when they realised that their lives were in danger.”

Ezemvelo spokesperson, Musa Mtambo, “They were not prepared to talk to Ezemvelo officials, but demanded the organisation employ them.

“When the protesters were told that the organisation currently does not have any employment opportunities to offer all of them, they continued with cutting down poles and burnt them. Ezemvelo officials were forced to retreat when they realised that their lives were in danger.”

As I said, there are differences between Ezemvelo and its surrounding communities. This doesn't even touch on poaching, trespassing, etc. It is a bad situation not being addressed.

 

[Paulsie]

Yirre let me get this right...

Community cuts fence to illegally poach game.

Open fence allows dangerous wild animals to escape, including lions.

Community demands that lions be killed and demands local community employment to repair the broken fence.

Am I understanding this correctly??

Correct - and that is not BS. The info come straight from game rangers (local Zulus).

There has been a huge decline in predator sightings in the park.

I have not seen a hyena for the past 3 years, nor wild dogs (down to 1 large-ish pack and a small scattering) where we used to see them every time we weny. Lions are also very scarce.

Edit: also heard/read that Ezemvelo's total maintenance allocation is 2% of all revenue (with the majority going towards salaries).

Lastly, the park manager does not even stay in the park, but lives in Durban (also as per ranger).

 

[wingnut771]

Yirre let me get this right...

Community cuts fence to illegally poach game.

Open fence allows dangerous wild animals to escape, including lions.

Community demands that lions be killed and demands local community employment to repair the broken fence.

Am I understanding this correctly??

Yes, yes you are.

 

[mojoman]

The brainpower...

Warning: Not for sensitive viewers – Outrage as video of leopard being slapped goes viral - LNN - Krugersdorp News

The video depicts graphic and disturbing footage of a dead leopard being beaten.

krugersdorpnews.co.za