Loose lion spotted in Filabusi

Parks rangers have been deployed to Filabusi to track down a lion which is reportedly on the loose in the Matabeleland South area.

The fierce man eater was first sighted in the Amazon area on Monday this week.

In a notice Tuesday, Insiza district development coordinator Zacharia Jusa said: "The lion killed a donkey in the early hours of today (Tuesday) along Gangabezi Road at Winifred Farm (Opengates) subdivision site.

"The spoor is heading towards Gangabezi. The rangers are tracking it."

Sources said if the direction of the lion is not disturbed, it could head in between Umzingwane and Insiza rivers, down to West Nicholson (Majoda and Atherstone farms) or as far as Sondelani and Bubye conservancies of Gwanda Rural District Council and Beitbridge respectively.

ZimParks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo was not readily reachable for comment.

Meanwhile, Matabeleland South acting provincial spokesperson Thandolwenkosi Moyo said they were yet to receive an official report on the case.

Many villagers in Filabusi and parts of the country continue to lose lives, properties and crops due to human-wildlife conflict.

In April this year, a 54-year-old Filabusi man, Fairchild Sibanda, narrowly escaped death after he was attacked by a leopard when he had gone into the bush to drive his cattle back to the kraal.

Cabinet recently gave the nod to setting up a human-wildlife conflict relief fund to compensate victims of animal intrusion and attacks.