A 35-year-old man of Gumare escaped death by a whisker after he was mauled by a lion this past Tuesday at Xowa cattle post near his home village.
According to Gumare Police Station Commander Superintendent Dennis Zilawe, the incident occurred around 1500hours when the man along with three other men was tracking the lion claws around the cattle post.
Zilawe said while on their mission the four heard their dogs barking and all of a sudden a lion out of nowhere pounced on them and it attacked the 35-year-old. According to him, the other three managed to escape the lion attack and they were also able to chase it away.
They thereafter rushed the man to Gumare Primary Hospital where was referred to Nyangabwe Referral Hospital in Francistown where he is currently hospitalised. According to Zilawe, the man suffered injuries on his left arm and scratches in the thigh.
Meanwhile Zilawe revealed that after receiving the report they then informed the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) who embarked on the search for the lion but could not find it .The police boss has noted that the team is currently in search of the lion.
Zilawe said this was the first incident to occur in the area since the beginning of the year. He has since urged the residents to report to the relevant authorities when they come across wildlife animal footprint rather than tracing them by themselves.
