A KwaZuluU-Natal north coast community is threatening to kill leopards and hyenas in the neighbouring Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park if they are not compensated for livestock killed by the animals.
Nsolweni Reserve residents met on Saturday to find a way to force Africa's oldest proclaimed park to pay up when their livestock are attacked by leopards and hyenas.
"We need to be given permission to go to the park to hunt and kill all hyenas because they attack our livestock.
"It's not only the hyenas that break free and attack our livestock but leopards as well. If we are not compensated for our livestock, then we will mobilise all manpower to go and kill these animals," angry resident Mpempo Ngcobo said.
But Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesman Musa Mntambo said the park would only pay compensation if livestock were attacked by a protected animal such as a lion.
"Hyenas are not protected so we don't pay," he said.
If the killer were a leopard, park authorities would have to determine whether it was protected .
"There are [leopards] that are on the loose and those that are protected," he said. Mntambo said Ezemvelo fenced off neighbouring kraals to protect their livestock a year ago.
"We work well with 10 traditional leaders so we will discuss the threat with them," he said.
In 2006, Thengukuphila Mlambo, 40, killed a leopard when it attacked him in Mtubatuba, 215km from Durban.
The leopard was believed to have been one of three roaming the area.
In the same year a leopard attacked and killed 22-year-old Nomusa Mncwango. In 2008, a tourist was mauled by a leopard at a braai in the park.
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