A lion that escaped from Karoo National Park outside Beaufort West in the Western Cape, was darted from the air.
Dubbed “Sylvester” has been AWOL from the park since Monday – and the big cat’s plight of facing possible euthanasia has since gone global.
Park officials say the three-year-old has repeatedly made breakouts from Karoo National Park.
Wanda Mkutshulwa, spokesperson for SANParks confirmed the capture.
“A veterinarian is present at the scene with the re-captured lion at the moment,” she says.
The call to save the lion spread as far as international, with some opting to offer the problematic “Sylvester” a home.
As a result, SANParks are considering the following steps:
a. Bringing the lion back to the park and looking at improving on fencing and other preventative measures;
b. Translocate the lion to another national park;
c. Donate the lion to another state owned conservation entity;
d. Donate the lion to a private conservation entity;
e. Euthanize the lion if the damage caused is massive and may include danger to people and/or loss of human life, and massive loss of assets.
Specifically the loss of human life poses an even greater danger as the animal may lose fear for humans and see them as easy prey.
SANParks CEO Fundisile Mketeni said after the animal’s re-capture that SANParks will “remain committed to our conservation mandate and assure the public that the decision going forward will be in the best interest of the animal and conservation.”
Naughty ‘Sly’ finally captured…
