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Lions Attack Herdsmen

New Era (Windhoek)

February 24, 2005

Toivo T Mvula
Ondangwa

TWO cattle herdsmen sustained injuries when lions attacked them yesterday morning at Oshiwalunda saltpan cattle post in the Uuvudhiya constituency in the Oshana region.

Councillor for Uuvudhiya, Amutenya Ndahafa, said one man was wounded on one of his knees, while the other was bitten on the leg.

The two herdsmen were together with a group of other herdsmen when the attack happened.

Four cattle were also killed at the scene, after eight lions attacked them.

Ndahafa said one of the lions was killed and two others were shot and wounded by some of the herdsmen.

He said the shooting only happened after the attack.

The councillor said attacks by lions on people and livestock is a regular occurrence in his constituency.

He said many farmers in the area have lost thousand of livestock to lions and cheetahs.

He estimated his own loss of animals to lions at close to 800 cattle since 1992.

Businessman Ismael Josef is said to have lost more than 1000 cattle.

Ndahafa added that since last week alone, he lost 24 goats to cheetahs that attacked his goats at night.

Ndahafa said the Ministry of Environment and Tourism used to have a group of people who patrolled the area since independence.

The councillor however noted that since last month the group stopped patrolling the area, because the ministry could no longer afford to pay the salaries of the patrol team.

Ndahafa said the farmers are demanding that the ministry bring back the patrol team and that they speed up the rehabilitation of the fence, to help prevent the lions from entering the area.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200502240643.html

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