Lions kill 200 Ethiopians in two years
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - A pride of lions disturbed by deforestation has killed as many as 200 people in the last two years in Ethiopia, an opposition leader said on Monday.

Some 2,250 people have fled their homes in the southern Soro district in fear of attacks by the big cats, Beyen Petros told Reuters, leaving hundreds of hectares of farmland untended.

"Destruction of forested land and turning the area into a human settlement has caused environmental degradation forcing wildlife to lose their sanctuaries and their prey," he said.

"As a result, a pride of up to 40 lions are roaming the countryside killing people ... Up to 200 people have been devoured by them during the last two years."

Beyen said the government had failed to protect its people.

"One cannot sit and watch in senseless disregard as precious lives are endangered by wildlife," he said. Soro is some 500 km (300 miles) south of the capital Addis Ababa.

(c) Reuters 2006.

Well, I just hope they will not ´solve´the problem by killing the lions.

For now, wildlife seems to be creating it´s own reserve

deforestation, extensions of farmland, extensive fencing............all kind of human interference with wildlife resulting in desaster - for all parties involved!
some countries call them "problem animals" but i call it problem government which allows such action.
and the government is to blame - not the lions!
and sorry but the phrase "precious lives" sound cynical to me!
and of course they will kill the lions....and not only the ones who became man eater

- Edited by pippa on 19.12.2006, 21:21 -