Reynold Thakhuli, SANParks general manager for media, PR and stakeholder relations, tells OFM News the lion, between the age of 2 and 3, was captured along the road to Calvinia late on Wednesday 13 March 2019.

This, as the young male lion left a trail of an eland, goats, and sheep since its escape from the Karoo National Park on 15 February 2019. “In total, the young lion killed at least 14 animals since it has escaped from the Karoo National Park at Beaufort West,” adds Thakhuli.

Thakhuli says SANParks CEO, Fundisile Mketeni, congratulated everyone involved in this long but successful re-capture of the lion. Thakhuli says Mketeni was particularly proud of the rangers, tracking team as well as support received from the farming community, corporations such as Bidvest Protea Coin Security for coming through all the way from Pretoria to lend a helping hand with infrared technology.

Thakhuli says the animal has been darted and will be collared once transported back to the park. He previously told OFM News that the searching team was using advanced infrared technology tracing the lion.

The Lion who escaped from the Karoo National Park outside Beaufort West in February has been found and successfully darted. He woke up in the police holding cells in Sutherland this morning @SANParks @AlgoaFM pic.twitter.com/kZgDzMD1Aw

— AlgoaFMNews (@AlgoaFMNews) March 14, 2019

OFM News