Limpopo lions' freedom from captive-breeding facility is short-lived

Seven lions which escaped through a gate — allegedly damaged by saboteurs — have been darted and recaptured.

The animals — five males and two females — were on the loose in Alldays, near Louis Trichardt.

Limpopo's environmental department said they had escaped from a registered captive-breeding facility. MEC Thabo Mokone said, “the essential workers did an outstanding job in capturing all seven stray lions within 11 hours of being on the scene.”

The lions escaped on Monday, with police reporting it to the department on Tuesday.

“Working closely with the captive-breeding facility where the lions escaped from, together with a veterinarian, the team was able to capture and dart three lions by 15h00 yesterday followed by the remaining four by 18h00,” he said.

Mokone said the lions escaped through one of the gates at the facility, which was broken into.

“The department will allow the facility to conduct its own investigations into the matter as they suspect sabotage.”