News

Following on from reports of a male lion being in very poor body condition in Mountain Zebra National Park (MZNP) outside Cradock in the Eastern Cape, Park Management monitored this animal from December 2023. His body condition did not improve over a period of two months. This was subsequently reported to the SANParks Veterinary Wildlife Services (VWS).

The lion was darted towards the end of February for closer evaluation. Taking into account the lion’s advanced age (i.e. 17 years old which is advanced in relation to the lifespan of lions in the wild which is eight to 16 years), poor body condition and clinically observed poor health (reluctance to move and poor tooth health), indicating that he is no longer able to fend for himself, the SANParks Veterinarian and Park Management made the decision to chemically euthanise the male lion as he was unlikely to recover.

Removal from the park by translocation was not an option. In a large open system, a lion of this age would have been outcompeted and possibly killed by rivals or younger males. Removal to unfamiliar surroundings, lacking the support from his pride to secure prey or depending on supplemented feed in a captive situation was regarded as unethical for a lifelong free-ranging animal.

Park Management is planning the introduction of two further male lions into the park’s system. The removal and reintroduction of male lions into and out of MZNP plays an important role in preventing inbreeding within this population and therefore aids in maintaining the genetic integrity of its lion population.

Consistent with the organisation’s scientific approach to management, the action taken by the park is in line with the SANParks’ Carnivore and Predator Management Standard Operating Procedure.