A total of 86 goats and sheep were killed by about 10 lions in a kraal at Awantapos near Grootberg in the Kunen region on Wednesday.
"Almost all of the livelihoods of the farmer were wiped out in one night. All that remained in the bead is 13 goat lambs. Even the dog was fired by the lions," said Mr. Vitalis Florry of the Torra Conservation Area said to Republican yesterday.
The farmer who suffered the giant damage was Mr. Sameul Gawiseb which farms between Grootberg and Melkbosrand.
"All the cattle were closed in the beak overnight," Florry confirmed.
The bead looks like a battlefield. "The herdsman saw the lions at night, but he could not see if they were wearing neckstraps."
The lions probably come from Kliprivier.
"We do not know where the lions are now, probably behind the mountain," Florry said.
He confirmed an official of the ministry of the environment and tourism was on the farm yesterday with Gawiseb.
Florry believes that if the lions were fitted with neck tires, early warning could be sent out and the damage would not be so great.
The bead in which the cattle are caught is a common bead that is fenced with wire and wood. Florry says no lion enters the special beans resistant to lions, and is fenced with high green shade.
The special beads are erected by a private shelter organization, Desert Lions Human Relations Aid (Delhra). Delhra has already erected and upgraded over 70 beads in the Kunen region. It also provides solar lights with sirens and motion activation systems, clappers and community assistance.
Mr. Izak Smit of Delhra says "Our warnings and advocates have been deaf ears for three years" that lions in the Kunen region are fitted with neck straps.
"Early warning systems are being supported so farmers can be warned if lions are in their area," Smit said.
"The lions do not break into the special beads. They are now looking for beads that are not closed."
Smit says farmers will rebel after the incident of human-lion conflict.
"It's time to call those responsible for justification. It's the ministry of the environment and tourism's mandate," he said.
The north-west of the country is severely affected by human lion conflict, so bad that a human lion conflict management plan was launched in September in line with the revised national policy on human-animal conflict management.
Measures of the plan include, inter alia, livestock management practices such as cattle herds and the construction of lion beetles, the development of an early warning system and deterrent tactics, as well as response units to respond to conflict situations on time.
The original version in Afrikaans below:
86 bokke en skape deur leeus afgemaai
Altesaam 86 bokke en skape is Woensdagnag deur sowat 10 leeus in 'n kraal by Awantapos naby Grootberg in die Kunenestreek afgemaai.
"Byna die hele lewensbestaan van die boer is in een nag uitgewis. Al wat in die kraal oorgebly het, is 13 boklammertjies. Selfs die hond is deur die leeus vrekgebyt," het mnr. Vitalis Florry van die Torra-bewaringsgebied gister aan Republikein gesê.
Die boer wat die reuseskade gely het, is mnr. Sameul Gawiseb wat tussen Grootberg en Melkbosrand boer.
"Al die vee was oornag in die kraal toegemaak," het Florry bevestig.
Die kraal lyk soos 'n slagveld. "Die veewagter het die leeus in die nag gesien, maar hy kon nie sien of hulle nekbande dra nie."
Die leeus kom vermoedelik van Kliprivier af.
"Ons weet nie waar die leeus nou is nie, vermoedelik agter die berg," het Florry gesê.
Hy het bevestig 'n beampte van die ministerie van die omgewing en toerisme was gister saam met Gawiseb op die plaas.
Florry meen as die leeus met nekbande toegerus was, kon vroeë waarskuwings uitgestuur word en sou die skade nie so groot wees nie.
Die kraal waarin die vee gevang is, is 'n gewone kraal wat met draad en houtsparre omhein is. Florry sê geen leeu gaan in by die spesiale krale wat teen leeus bestand is, en met hoë groen skadunet omhein is nie.
Die spesiale krale word deur 'n private leeubewaringsorganisasie, Desert Lions Human Relations Aid (Delhra), opgerig. Delhra het al meer as 70 krale in die Kunenestreek opgerig en opgegradeer. Dit voorsien ook sonkragligte met sirenes en bewegingaktiveringstelsels, klappers en hulp aan die gemeenskappe.
Mnr. Izak Smit van Delhra sê "ons waarskuwings en pleidooie val al drie jaar op dowe ore" dat leeus in die Kunenestreek met nekbande toegerus word.
"Daar word op vroeë waarskuwingstelsels gesteun sodat boere gewaarsku kan word as leeus in hul omgewing is," het Smit gesê.
"Die leeus breek nie by die spesiale krale in nie. Hulle soek nou krale wat nie toegemaak is nie."
Smit sê boere gaan nou weer in opstand kom ná die voorval van mens-leeu-konflik.
"Dit is tyd om diegene verantwoordelik tot regverdiging te roep. Dit is die ministerie van die omgewing en toerisme se mandaat," het hy gesê.
Die noordweste van die land gaan erg onder mens-leeu-konflik gebuk, so erg dat 'n mens-leeu-konflikbestuursplan in September van stapel gestuur is wat strook met die hersiene nasionale beleid oor mens-dier-konflik bestuur.
Maatreëls van die plan behels onder meer veebestuurpraktyke soos veewagters en die bou van leeuproefkrale, die ontwikkeling van 'n vroeë waarskuwingstelsel en afskriktaktieke, asook reaksie-eenhede om betyds op konflik situasies te reageer.
Source: https://www.republikein.com.na/nuus/86-bokke-en-skape-deur-leeus-afgemaai2017-11-10/
