A male lion, believed to have strayed from the Kruger National Park, has descended on the Lesanth settlement outside Beit Bridge, where it is reportedly killing villagers’ livestock.

An official from a local safari operator, Three Ways Safaris, Mr Roy Gama, confirmed the latest development to Limpopo Mirror, saying the animal was mainly targeting cattle. “The lion is causing havoc in Lesanth and surrounding areas. We have already received numerous reports from villagers who have lost their cattle. It looks like the animal normally crosses into the Zimbabwean side at night and attacks the cattle, before going back to the national park. We are in the process of tracking it,” he said.

There are, however, no reports of human deaths. Lions have become a perennial problem for villagers in the eastern part of the district. A local villager, Mr James Ndou, said the lion was also a threat to school children. Villagers in Tshikwalakwala, outside Beit Bridge, are also facing a similar problem of stray lions and elephants from the Kruger Park.

The local councillor, Mr Enock Ndou, said the lions had killed 10 cattle and two donkeys, leaving several others wounded at neighbouring Shashane.