Page 25 - KGR 2020 Review Book

Coming into community areas, not only put this young lion into a dangerous
situation where he could be killed for potentially eating valuable cattle, but it
also placed humans in the area at risk of running into the predator. Something
had to be done and fast.

An emergency plan was put into action through a collaboration with the
National Administration for the Conservation Areas (ANAC), Saving the
Survivors (STS) and Karingani. Wildlife veterinarians, Dr Joao Almeida and
Dr Hugo Pereira from Saving the Survivors went into the area where the last
sighting of the lion was reported. Darkness fell upon them as they searched for
him. Commotion at a nearby boma filled with cattle got their attention - the lion
was reaching though the boma fence trying to grab at the cows inside. Dr Joao
was able to place a well-aimed tranquiliser dart into the lion. The team then
loaded the sleeping lion into the back of the STS bakkie and began the five- A top up of anesthetics is administered before the lion is loaded onto the aircraft
hour long journey to Karingani Game Reserve. Throughout the drive, they had June 2020
to stop every forty minutes to check on the lion and to top up his anesthetic
to ensure they did not have a big male lion wake up while in the back of the
bakkie.

Their journey came to an end when they reached Karingani around 03:30 in the
morning where they were met by Karingani staff members. The lion was gently
offloaded and placed into a holding facility within the protection of Karingani
Game Reserve. While the lion was still sedated, he was fitted with a satellite
tracking collar. The plan was for the lion to stay within Karingani’s predator
holding boma while a new safe home could be located for him and he could
undergo veterinary testing to ensure his health.

A few weeks later, a new home was determined and the lion was ready to for
his big move! With a clean bill of health, he was driven to Massingir Airport
and loaded into an airplane to be flown over 800 km to another protected area
which will be his new home.

The large male lion is loaded into a Cessna airplane to be transported to his new home
June 2020