The Ministry of Environment, and Tourism has confirmed plans to translocate a pride of white lions that returned to the Ngonga area in the Zambezi region, where they have been causing panic among residents since April.
Villagers in the Judea Lyaboloma constituency have said the lions have killed at least 13 heads of cattle and disrupted daily life.
They have also decribed being limited in their movement by fear, with children arriving at school late and residents forced to relieve themselves behind their homes.
Ministry spokesperson Ndeshipanda Hamunyela told The Namibian yesterday said that two adult females and four cubs were initially translocated earlier in May, but they returned days later after crossing the B8 road near Kwando Gate.
She said one adult lioness and two cubs were not captured during the first relocation.
“We understand the fear and inconvenience caused by the recurring presence of lions near human settlements. Therefore, we assure the community that we are taking this matter seriously and remain committed to ensuring the safety of the public while conserving our nation’s wildlife,” she said.
She added that they are preparing a follow-up operation to recapture the entire pride.
According to Hamunyela, they will ensure that the lions are relocated deeper into the Bwabwata National Park to prevent them from returning.
“The new location has been strategically selected to reduce the likelihood of the lions returning to Ngonga and to minimise the risk of human-wildlife conflict. Additionally, a collar was put on the lioness as part of an early warning system through which communities in the Ngonga area were being informed of the lions’ movements. We are actively exploring the possibility of deploying staff to remain in the area for closer monitoring and community reassurance during this period,” she said.
Regarding the community’s request to have the lions put down, Hamunyela said lethal force remains a last resort.
“The killing of wildlife is always considered a last resort in accordance with conservation principles. We are prioritising relocation efforts and strengthening our response capacity on the ground.”
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