Elmon Tshikhudo
After having feasted on more than 200 fresh chickens at Bilankulu chicken coop at Mtititi outside Malamulele, the leopard lay down and slept over.
Caretaker Louise Masango said she heard noises on Saturday evening and noticed leopard footprints the following morning.
“I looked through the small windows and saw that the chickens were dead. There were leopard footprints going into the coop and I also realised that the footprints have not left the yard,” she said.
Fearing that the leopard might still be inside the chicken coop, Masango called the Kruger National Park rangers who quickly responded.
“I went into the coop with one of the rangers but we had to run out very quickly when we came face to face with the beast,” she said.
“The rangers brought their guns and tried to shoot it but it jumped the fence and ran away.”
But the leopard wasn’t finished visiting!
The famished feline came back to continue with its feast on Sunday evening.
“I only realised on Monday morning that it had eaten more chickens,” she said.
She said she again called the rangers but by the time they arrived the leopard could not be located.
“We are living in fear. We do not know when it will strike again. Next time it might eat us instead of the chickens,” Masango said.
Masango’s employer Phineas Bilankulu said losing 250 chickens which were almost ready for market has badly affected his business.
“I hope the park will do something to compensate me. The loss of the chickens could put me out of business. Something must be done to keep the leopards in their own enclosure,” he said.
Limpopo Department: Economic Development, Environment and Tourism spokesperson Zaid Kalla said officials tracked the leopard in the direction of the Kruger National Park (KNP).
“The Department and the community will be monitoring the leopard’s activities and decide on the action to be taken,” he said.
Kalla further confirmed that a runaway buffalo was also spotted in the area last week. In an attempt to put down the animal a KNP field ranger died when he was accidentally struck by a bullet.
“The buffalo was charging the officials,” Kalla said.
