Park Management was alerted when a farmer reported that he’d seen lion spoor on his land. The Park’s San trackers were immediately deployed to follow the spoor together with the farmer. A helicopter that was in the park for a wildlife census at the time was also dispatched to assist in the search. A gemsbok carcass was put out in the hope of attracting the lion, but by dark the lion had not yet been located.
Both aerial and foot patrols over the weekend have not yet yielded the desired results. Although the trackers picked up the lion’s spoor on a number of occasions, the terrain is mountainous, with many river valleys, thus making tracking difficult.
The lion is a three-year-old male, believed to have been forced out of the Park by older males. It is suspected he escaped through a hole under the fence line after damage caused by heavy rains last week. The lion then moved onto the parallel Fraserberg road to the west of the Park and entered private property through a storm water drain.
Tracker teams, including tracking dogs and their handlers, have been sent from Addo Elephant and Mountain Zebra National Parks to assist in the search. The aerial and foot patrols are still ongoing.
Members of the public who may see the lion or any signs of it are requested not to confront it and to contact the Park’s Hospitality Manager, Brian van der Westhuizen, on 023 415 2828, who is in contact with the search parties.
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