Temitope
Temitope Akinola
Harare - A Zimbabwean tourist guide lost his life on Tuesday from a lion attack while tracking with tourists in a pride in Hwange National Park, Reuters reports.
According to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZPWMA), the professional guide, Quinn Swales was on a walking safari with six foreign tourists in Hwange park on Tuesday when he was attacked by a male lion wearing a GPS collar.
The park said in a statement that he spotted fresh lion spoor and decided to track a pride of lions consisting of two females, two curbs and two makes. One of the lions named Nxaha which was collared jumped out at Quinn. Efforts to rescue him proved abortive but none of the tourists was injured
Police are still investigating the case as it was not clear whether Quinn was armed.
It was gathered that there have been a number of cases of people killed by wild animals in and around Zimbabwean National parks but often go unreported. Some of the lions that have killed humans have also been shot.
It had not yet been decided whether Nxaha should be shot or not, Caroline Washaya-Moyo, ZPWMA said.
It will be recalled that the Hwange national park is the home of the country's most prized lion Cecil, who was killed last month. The killing of the 13-year-old, rare black-maned lion by American hunter Walter Palmer, was met with global outrage and triggered a backlash against Africa's lucrative hunting industry.
Zimbabwean Authorities have charged two men in connection with the killing of Cecil, who was fitted with a GPS collar as part of an Oxford University study, and was lured from Hwange and shot by Palmer. Zimbabwe is also requesting that Palmer, 55, be extradited from the United States to face trial.
Reuters Africa
According to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZPWMA), the professional guide, Quinn Swales was on a walking safari with six foreign tourists in Hwange park on Tuesday when he was attacked by a male lion wearing a GPS collar.
The park said in a statement that he spotted fresh lion spoor and decided to track a pride of lions consisting of two females, two curbs and two makes. One of the lions named Nxaha which was collared jumped out at Quinn. Efforts to rescue him proved abortive but none of the tourists was injured
Police are still investigating the case as it was not clear whether Quinn was armed.
It was gathered that there have been a number of cases of people killed by wild animals in and around Zimbabwean National parks but often go unreported. Some of the lions that have killed humans have also been shot.
It had not yet been decided whether Nxaha should be shot or not, Caroline Washaya-Moyo, ZPWMA said.
It will be recalled that the Hwange national park is the home of the country's most prized lion Cecil, who was killed last month. The killing of the 13-year-old, rare black-maned lion by American hunter Walter Palmer, was met with global outrage and triggered a backlash against Africa's lucrative hunting industry.
Zimbabwean Authorities have charged two men in connection with the killing of Cecil, who was fitted with a GPS collar as part of an Oxford University study, and was lured from Hwange and shot by Palmer. Zimbabwe is also requesting that Palmer, 55, be extradited from the United States to face trial.
Reuters Africa
Last edited by a moderator:
