Wild Life officials capture 19 more stray lions in Serengeti
Serengeti. Wild Life officials in Nyichoka and Bukore, Serengeti have captured 19 stray lions that have in the past week terrorized neighboring villages and their livestock.
The capture of the 19 lions now brings the total number to 33 after 14 others were captured last week around the same area
Speaking to journalists, the Serengeti District Commissioner Nurdin Babu said with the last capture there were no more stray lions left in the area.
“Since November 2019, the lions have been giving residents a hard time as they ate their livestock and threatened their lives. This is the first time that a pride of 36 lions have left the Serengeti,” he said.
According to the DC they are evaluating the number of livestock that the big cats have devoured in villages of Robanda, Park Nyigoti, Nyichoka, Bukore, Miseke, Rwamchanga, Makundusi, Nyanungu and Kwitete so that they can compensate the residents.
The 14 lions who were captured last week were taken to the newly formed Burigi National Park in Chato and officials say they are preparing to relocate the latest group to a suitable place.
Conflict between the wild cats and residents in villages near the Serengeti has in recent years become very common as human populations move closer to the wild.
Tanzania has the largest number of lion population compared to other African countries with estimates showing the cats are between 14,000 and 15,000 in the country today, thanks to an extensive network of protected areas in form of national parks, game reserves stretching to up to 300,000 square kilometres.
