Search for missing lion called off

The four-day search for one of five lions that escaped from the Kruger National Park near Mananga in Mpumalanga was officially called off on Thursday.

The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency‚ responsible for the search and recovery mission‚ said it believed the lion may have returned to the park.

"We have decided to call off the search and rescue operation as there has been no sighting of the missing lion since the other four were captured on Tuesday‚" said MTPA CEO Johannes Nobunga.

• SANParks can't explain lions’ escape from KNPThe SA National Parks on Wednesday said it still had no idea how a pride of lions escaped from the Kruger National Park in Mananga‚ Mpumalanga‚ earlier this week. 

The lions were believed to have escaped from the park on Monday.

It was unclear how they had gotten out.

• WATCH: OMG! Lions are on the loose in MpumalangaAs wildlife rangers and police scour farmland around Komatipoort in Mpumalanga for the five escaped lions, Twitter was quick to share its feelings. 

The MTPA said it would rely on community members near the area to alert them if the lion was spotted‚ urging them to continue to be 'vigilant'.

The lions attacked some cattle on Tuesday morning. Since then‚ no other attacks on animals in the area have been reported.