Lion that escaped is recaptured in Mpumalanga

The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) has announced the successful capture of a lion that had escaped its enclosure and was spotted wandering around Mbombela throughout the week.

Lion roaming around Mbombela

The MTPA urged residents of Mbombela, a town in Mpumalanga, to be vigilant after the lion escaped its enclosure. The first sighting of the lion was on Sunday 27 October 2024, near the R40 between Mbombela and Barberton. Thereafter, the lion was roaming around in the Glenwood and Hilltop areas before making his way to an estate in the town, The Rest Estate, early Wednesday morning. Security footage from the estate obtained from the estate’s control room captured the lion.

The agency’s spokesperson Simpiwe Shungube, said that their team had been looking for the lion since 2:00 Wednesday morning. They used a thermal imaging drone to help them locate the lion.

Lion captured, unharmed

The MTPA has confirmed that they have captured the lion and Shungube acknowledged community members who provided them with important information that helped them trace the lion.

They found the lion around 2:00–3:00 this morning, 02 November. Thankfully, they found the lion unharmed.

‘As Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency, we confirm that the escaped male lion has been successfully darted and captured by the MTPA. We can also confirm that the lion is in good health. It has been darted and moved to the holding pen for further management,’ said Shungube.