Spokesman Musa Mntambo said a couple driving through the area claimed to have seen a lion a night ago.

"Last night, we went to view the tracks of the 'lion' where it was spotted. Lion and hyena tracks are almost the same, it's just that the lion's are a bit bigger," he said.

The tracks were found to be those of a hyena.

Rangers also played the sounds of a lion eating, which would usually attract other lions join the eating, at 2am on Wednesday.

"It did not come, only two hyenas came," said Mntambo.

"They attempted to eat the bait [but] unfortunately disappeared through the bushes when they realised that they were being lured."

Mntambo said hyenas were shy and cowardly animals which would not normally attack humans.

Rangers were planning to catch the hyenas on Wednesday night.