Poacher injured in KZN lion attack
March 27 2009 at 05:27PM
A small game poacher spent two terrifying hours up a tree, trying to hide from two lions in the Munyawana Game Reserve in northern KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday night.
Police spokesperson, Captain Jabulani Mdletshe, said the man was one of a group of four poachers who went into the reserve to poach small game.
"They managed to get a wild hog. On their return home, they were attacked by two lions," said Mdletshe.
The group ran for their lives, but while his friends managed to get away, the lone poacher decided to hide up a tree, leaving his hunting dogs at the bottom to try and defend him. "All six his dogs were killed by the lion and lay scattered beneath the tree," said Mdletshe.
The poacher finally found a chance to escape when the lions chased after a hyena, said Mdletshe. The man fled to his homestead and was taken to a clinic for treatment of a claw scrape in his thigh.
"His friends went to report the attack at the game reserve but when police arrived at the clinic he had already left," said Mdletshe.
Kevin Pretorius, regional director for Phinda Private Game Reserve, of which the Munyawana forms part, said there was not usually a problem with poachers.
A case of illegal hunting had been opened and police expected to arrest the poachers soon, Mdletshe said. - Sapa
