By KASONDE KASONDE –
A MAN in Itezhi-tezhi District in Central Province yesterday survived a lion attack as he was herding his goats in a bush.
Itezhi-tezhi District Commissioner Roy Na’ngalewa said a stray lion appeared at the man’s field and charged at him and later grabbed his goats.
He said people in the district had in the past two weeks been living in fear since they spotted the lion.
Mr Na’ngalewa, who did not disclose the name of the goat herder as well as his condition, said no life had been lost in the district, but that people had continued losing their livestock to the animal which was on the loose.
“People are still living in fear as the lion is still on the loose. It has been spotted in Chief Shimbizhi’s area and as at now it is feasting on people’s livestock,” Mr Na’ngalewa said.
He called on the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) to intensify patrols and ensure that the lion was caged before lives were lost.
He said ZAWA officers had been searching for the lion since last week and had not managed to capture it.
But when contacted for a comment, ZAWA public relations officer Readith Muliyunda said she had not received any report on the stray lion in Itezhi-tezhi District.
Ms Muliyunda, however, said she would pursue the matter to find out how far the officers had gone with their search.
Last week two lions were spotted in Chief Shimbizhi’s area in Lubanda Ward.
The lions attacked and killed some pigs apart from the goats and other livestock the animals were targeting.