Karoo lion still leading trackers a merry dance

THE elusive Karoo lion is still on the loose, more than two weeks since its initial escape from the Karoo National Park, and despite being spotted in a riverbed near the park on Saturday, authorities say.

A tracking team from SA National Parks (SANParks) has been aided by Shimane Safaris, from Botswana, which has brought on board six tracking dogs, a handler and a tracker in return for payment of their fuel costs, which have been covered by volunteer organisation the Honourary Rangers.

The AISA Flight School from nearby Beaufort West has also assisted in the tracking efforts with the use of some of their light aircraft over the past few days.

Fayroush Ludick, spokesperson for SANParks, said the tracking dogs were sent in on Saturday to flush the escaped animal out of the riverbed, but that a specialist veterinarian was unable to get a clear enough shot to dart the animal.

Once captured, the lion will be taken back to the park, but will not be reunited with its former pride as it was believed the lion was driven out by older, more dominant males.

The 3-year-old male lion escaped through a hole in the perimeter fence caused by flood damage on Friday, June 5. It has killed a number of sheep in the area. – ANA

A Complete Guide to Snakes of Southern Africa.

“So my guess is that the human disturbance caused the snake to try and regurgitate its meal and that caused it’s death.”

Nevertheless, there have been several reports around the world of pythons dying from similar injuries.

Three years ago, staff at a nature reserve near Lamu in Kenya came across a dead 3.6m python killed by the quills of a porcupine.

Whereas some predators will be warned off by the visual threat displays of a porcupine, many snake species rely on thermal or chemical sensory mechanisms to ambush prey at night, which may explain the deaths.