KATETE – Four lions have been spotted in Mpoto, Katete, causing fear among the residents. Katete national parks and wildlife district officer-in-charge Chilenga Nkhoma confirmed the presence of lions.
Mr Nkoma stated that the department was currently tracking the beasts in order to protect people from any possible attack.
“I can confirm that a pride of four lions has been spotted here in Katete. The lions were seen in Mpoto area. I have done the assessment, and we are currently tracking them. Please, let us adjust our night movements especially on foot, bicycle and motorbikes,” he said.
Mr Nkhoma also highlighted that the animals could be following a route familiar to them.
“I believe that used to be their territory and the animals have a memory of 70 years, and they also could be following the source of the Lupande stream because it has a thicket,” he said.
In February, the department gunned down a lion aged between nine and 11 years that had been terrorising residents for 10 days.
The lion killed two cows and two sheep belonging to farmers around Chimtende and Mpoto areas, where the pride had been spotted in the district.
Katete has been experiencing various episodes of human-animal conflicts ranging from crocodile and lion attacks including the destruction of crops by a troop of monkeys.