On 21 October 2024, a few lions in the Hwange National Park were found shot, mutilated and beheaded in a disturbing turn of events. The heads and paws of these lions were found cut off.
Unsplash/Tanner Marquis
While lions are usually killed during trophy hunting stints, this brutal killing does not seem correlated with this killing method. Local authorities suspect that this killing may have a ritual connotation due to the disturbing manner in which these murders took place. An urgent investigation into the matter has been conducted.
While harsher penalties have been incorporated to decrease the poaching cases in Zimbabwe, wildlife poaching still seems to occur in this country. According to ZimPark statistics, a total of 19 lions were killed in poaching-related instances between 2019 to 2023.
However, these horrific instances of lion mutilation and beheading are not entirely uncommon. In 2018, six lions at the Mystic Monkeys & Feathers Wildlife Park were killed similarly. With the youngest lion only being 6 months, IOL reported it was a devastating loss for Christa Saayman, the establishment’s owner.
In the case of the killing of Hwange National Park lions, this inhumane crime is still an ongoing investigation. Bulawayo 24 has reported Tinashe Farawo, the spokesperson of ZimParks, has commented on the matter:
’We are investigating a suspected case of lions poaching in Hwange. The suspects used a heavy calibre rifle before they chopped the heads and feet of the lions.’
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