Sylvester the Lion Successfully Caught and Being Taken Back to Park

SA National Parks said it has successfully darted Sylvester, the lion that escaped from Karoo National Park earlier this week – for the second time – and whose plight generated a frenzy online when people heard that SANP was going to euthanise him.

“SANParks search team has successfully darted the escaped lion from #KarooNationalPark outside Beaufort West,” SANP said on its Facebook page a few minutes ago.” A veterinarian is present at the scene with the re-captured lion at the moment.

“The lion was darted from the air in difficult terrain high up in the mountains and will need to be transported in a stretcher, on foot, for 3 km to the nearest awaiting vehicle.

SANParks said its CEO Fundisile Mketeni wanted to to commend the park management and the tracking team – at least 14 people were apparently involved tracking the errant lion – for a job well done under tremendous strain and weather conditions.

Mketeni also thanked members of the public for their concern, support and patience as the team worked tirelessly to recapture the lion.

“As an organization we remain committed to our conservation mandate and assure the public that the decision going forward will be in the best interest of the animal and conservation,” he said. 

Shortly after Sylvester escaped on Monday, it was reported that he might likely be euthanised, since he was a repeat escaper and had caused the park R800,000 to recapture when he escaped in 2015, killing 28 sheep, among other animals, during his three-weeks of being AWOL. Quickly, however, two online campaigns began to save him.

SANP later apologised for saying that euthanising was the only option available, and said that it would consider numerous other options if Sylvester was caught, including improving the fencing at the Karoo National Park, or transferring him to another public or private park.