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Zimbabwe parks officials capture rogue lions in Kariba town

Xinhua, December 2, 2016 Adjust font size:

Wildlife officials and animal welfare organizations on Friday captured two lions that are believed to be part of a pride that has been attacking dogs in Kariba in northern Zimbabwe and relocated them far away from the town.

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesperson Caroline Washaya-Moyo said the lions had been moved to a new location at a cost of 3,000 U.S. dollars for the whole operation.

"The team set bait and for two days manned the area day and night. It was after the second day that the lions fell for the trap. They were darted, collared and translocated," she said.

She appealed to the town's residents to build kennels for their dogs as they had become easy prey for lions.

"Just the sound of a dog barking is good enough an attraction but is made easier by stray dogs. To date nine dogs are alleged to have gone missing in Kariba."

She said the team had left traps in the area and would continue to maintain them until residents were no longer in danger.

Residents have been living in fear of lions during the past few days after a number of dogs disappeared, with one said to have been killed near a home in one of the town's suburbs as it barked at the lions.

Kariba town is located on the southern shores of Lake Kariba with its dam wall forming the border with Zambia to the north and has a population of more than 27,000.

It was established in the 1950s to accommodate workers building the Kariba damwall and paved the way to conflict between animals and humans, with conservationists saying that animals should not be disturbed because it was the humans who invaded their area.

In 2013, a woman was killed while dating her boyfriend in a bushy area of the town, and the discovery of remains of a 77-year-old man on the same day prompted game wardens to kill a lioness and her two cubs, which were suspected of having caused the two deaths.

Besides generating nearly half of the country's electricity at the damwall, Kariba town is a prime tourism area with attractions that include fishing, water skiing, game viewing and house-boating. Endit