Poison Terror as Villagers Kill Marauding Lions
18 March 2016
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A catastrophe due to poison-chemical spreading looms in Chipinge after Chibuwe villagers killed three lions they say have been wrecking havoc in the area.
A local Youth Empowerment lobby, Platform for Youth Development, PYD, says the angry villagers used some suspected poisonous chemicals to eliminate the lions which had killed over 200 herds of cattle in the past few months.
PYD says members of the National Parks and Wild Life Management Authority on Thursday rushed to Chibuwe village where the lions’ copses were and addressed villagers on the dangers of poisoning wild animals.
“The National Parks and Wild Life Management team led by Evans Mhosira held a meeting at Coppa in Chibuwe where they promised to send a team of experts to carry a post-mortem on the dead Lions,” PYD said.
“They warned the community that the poison which was used to kill the lions could lead to human death if not handled with caution”.
“They also said animals like dogs and birds which would have fed on the bodies of the Lions can spread diseases that will eventually harm the ecosystem,” said the empowerment lobby grouping.
At the same meeting PYD said the local councillor Charles Mugidho Mahlonga said the problem was with the Save Valley conservancy management.
“The major challenge we are experiencing is the wrangle between the conservators and the
villagers over boundary and fence”.
“This conflict calls for the two parties to come together and find means to co- exist than fight,” he said.
PYD said villagers could not hide their joy for the death of the marauding lions despite having been educated on the dangers of poisoning wild animals the National Parks and Wild Life Management.
“Villagers from Masimbe,Muzondakaya and Muchaiyana villages of ward 20  were heard saying Mwari watizwa kuti mhondoro dzafa tanga tambaashungurudzika munharaunda,” said PYD.