The pride of lions, which had previously escaped from Kruger National Park, made headlines again after breaking free from the park for the second time.
The lions had managed to find their way to the neighboring Ngwenya Lodge but were successfully recaptured on Thursday night.
Location and Recovery Efforts
Ngwenya Lodge, located along a scenic stretch of the Crocodile River, directly borders Kruger National Park.
According to a recent update from SANParks on Facebook, the seven lions are currently safe in a boma facility.
Here, they’ll remain until a decision is made on their new home.
The team will fit collars to the lions for tracking purposes, ensuring their safe reintegration into a suitable territory where they can thrive.
Sad Losses
During this operation, unfortunately, two of the youngest cubs from the pride did not survive.
The veterinary team leading the recovery emphasized that such losses are a common occurrence due to the high stress the animals endure during these operations, among other factors.
How It All Unfolded
The saga began when the pride first exited Kruger National Park on Wednesday.
After being darted and returned to the park, the lions managed to escape again later that same day.
SANParks confirmed in a Facebook post that by late Wednesday, the eight lions were once again back in their original home within Kruger National Park.
The South African website reported that Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) had been notified of the lions’ presence at Ngwenya Lodge.
Following intense efforts from both Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agencies and SANParks, four female and four male lions were successfully recaptured and returned to Kruger.
Monitoring and Future Plans
One of the lions was fitted with a collar for tracking to monitor its movements after their release into the Crocodile Bridge section of Kruger National Park.
Despite these efforts, another update from SANParks on Thursday morning revealed that the lions had once again found their way back to Ngwenya Lodge late the previous night.
It appears that the pride may be facing pressure from other existing lion prides in the area.
Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency, along with SANParks, are currently working on a solution for relocating the lions more effectively.
Updates will be provided as the situation develops.
Recent Developments
This incident marks the second escape from Kruger National Park in just one week.
Earlier, a herd of elephants also exited the park but returned later that evening.
Stay tuned for further updates on this evolving story.
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