Large mystery lion on the loose in northern KZN

The hunt is on for a large lion which is believed to have escaped from a game reserve near Dundee in northern KwaZulu-Natal. 

According to a local involved in the search for the apex predator, the male big cat is believed to have killed a cow on Sunday and tried to kill another one on Monday. 

A camera placed near where the lion was last seen captured the large male during the night. 

Ezemvelo KZN spokesperson Musa Mntambo said they were aware of reports and were investigating. Members of Nambiti Private Game Reserve joined the search for the animal on Tuesday and in an e-mailed response to TimesLIVE said all their lions were accounted for. 

"We were sent a picture of a large male that is apparently at large outside Dundee. All of Nambiti’s big males are accounted for. We have offered to assist though, and some of our people will help to track and capture the lion," the statement read. 

In November Times Select reported that the community of Ngolotshe lived in fear following a number of encounters with lions which had escaped from the neighbouring Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park.