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Runesu Gwidi in ZAKA
A pride of lions that recently escaped from the Save Valley Conservancy is reportedly terrorising villagers in Nhema communal lands in Zaka.

The lions are giving villagers in the Fuve-Panganai area sleepless nights as they are targeting their livestock and have killed more than 20 cattle in a space of two weeks.

Villagers are now wary the lions might attack schoolchildren in the area and have since called on the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority to assist them.

Chief Nhema (Mr Rangarirai Bwawanda) confirmed that the lions had become a menace to communities in the Fuve-Panganai area.

“A collaborative approach is needed to end the problem of lions that are believed to have taken advantage of the weak perimeter fence to escape from the nearby Save Valley Conservancy,” he said.

“Some villagers in Fuve-Panganai recently alerted Zimparks officials after seeing two lions roaming around. The Zaka Rural District Council was also notified.”

Mr Jacob Magova of Fuve-Panganai said there was need for urgent action to deal with the lions so that villagers do not continue losing their livestock.

“Livestock is a symbol of wealth here and villagers rely on their livestock for many things be it draught power or income, so we are appealing to Zimparks to capture the lions,’’ he said.

Zimparks spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo said they had received reports of the stray lions in Zaka.

“We, however, do not have the actual number of lions in the area,” he said.

“Zimparks has reacted swiftly to the problem. Rangers have been deployed and they are on the ground searching for the lions.

‘‘We are confident that they will be able to remove the animals. It has become our tradition that we respond to human-animal conflict within three to four hours of receiving a report.”