This is why nine Serengeti lions were killed by wananchi

 Dar es Salaam. Natural Resources and Tourism Minister Dr Hamis Kigwangalla has instructed the National Task Force on anti-poaching to undertake a thorough investigation to detain and prosecute suspects in connection with the killing of nine lion at Nyichoka village, Serengeti District-Manyara Region.

He has instructed the task force to undertake the inspection in collaboration with the Serengeti District Security Committee.

He issued the directive on Wednesday, June 5 after he received a report of the killing of the lions at his office in Dodoma.

In his statement that he issued and released to media outlets on Wednesday, the minister further noted that he was saddened with the incident.

The report indicated that the lions were poisoned and some were found dead with their legs, tails chopped-off by unknown people.

“It is too sad, when an animal is poisoned to death. The chain becomes too long because other wild animals like the hyena who might eat the poisoned meat might also be affected,” he said.

He further revealed that it was not the first time such incident happened, citing a similar incident last year that occurred in Ruaha National Park in which five lions were poisoned.

“At least 70 hyenas died recently when a similar incident occurred in Ruaha National Park and at least 100 birds died due to poisoning,” he said.

Dr Kigwangalla further clarified that human-wildlife conflict was a major cause for the recent brutal killings of the wild animals at the national parks by the villagers, saying the wild animals were invading human settlement and killed their domestic animals.

“I acknowledge that the villagers do this as an act of revenge. But they are the ones who cause the conflicts by living near the prohibited areas,” he said.

According to him, at least 22, 000 lions and other wild animals were killed recently.

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