Small Pride of Lions to be Introduced into Northern Part of Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park

The pride - three males and three females - were donated to the NCS by the North West Parks and Tourism Board - and were flown from Pilanesberg Game Reserve to the Hluhluwe town airfield on Wednesday 28 July 1999. The captures were also staggered - two sibling male lions were captured by North West Parks ecologist Gus van Dyk in the Pilanesberg Game Reserve and placed in a holding enclosure. A third male and a female were captured in the Madikwe Game Reserve the following day, taken to Pilanesberg and released into the enclosure with the two males.

A day later another pair of lionesses was captured and placed in the enclosure with the other four animals. The behavior of the six lions was carefully monitored to ensure no serious fighting took place. The lions appeared to have settled down well and the project proceeded. They were again sedated and given the first part of a TB test on 25 July 1999 and were finally sedated and the final part of the TB test administered early on 28 July. While still sedated the lions were loaded onto an aircraft at the Pilanesberg Airport and flown to Hluhluwe, accompanied by NCS vet Dr. Dave Cooper.

There the six animals were transferred to vehicles and taken to a temporary holding enclosure where they will recover from the effects of sedation and will spend a two-week acclimatization period before being released into the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park. Research over the past six years has shown that the lions of the HUP are very inbred and the phased introduction of fresh genetic stock should greatly strengthen the lion population of the Park.