ZimParks dispels stray lion hoax
Brian Rungano Temba
Zimparks has pleaded with Zimbabweans to desist from sharing social media content which can potentially cause panic.
Zimparks spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo told Tateguru Tv, in an interview, that there are people deriving unusual gratification from spreading lies about animals escaping from sanctuaries.
Mr Farawo said the news that has been making rounds on social media platforms such of five stray lions roaming the mountain range of Masvingo Hillside is a hoax.
The intentions of the generation of the message is unknown however has put the residents of Masvingo City in a frenzy of fright.
” Within that area of Masvingo Urban (Hillside Mucheke suburb) there is no game reserve with lions.
The only reserve with lions nearest to that area is the Sikato Game Park adjacent to Great Zimbabwe Ruins, and they are all in their cages and accounted for,” said Mr Farawo.
The area on question is subject to a range of hills that make up the Hillside and Hillside extensions of Mucheke A, D and F suburbs.
On the other side of the hills are the new Clipsham views low density suburbs which are still under development under the IDBZ.
At the very mouth of the range of hills are the Water tanks that house the water for the City pumped by the City of Masvingo to serve the Mucheke residents.
Going south-east along the Masvingo Ngundu road to the right side of the the tarmarked road are mining consessions which have sprouted due to the recent Gold Rush that has been following the Gold belt that is said to be along the same range of hills.
Speculation on social media had alluded to a ban on morning and evening joggers who take the hill track that goes up the pass between the Target Kopje hills and Old Hillside hills and reaches the peak of the hill where there is a telecoms booster.
Pentecostals have often used the trail to go and pray at the top of the hill.
Could this hoax be intended to scare people away as illegal gold planners bore away at the hills for gold?
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