Lions butchered for their bones in Limpopo Park – blow to massive transfrontier wilderness

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Lions butchered for their bones in Limpopo Park – blow to massive transfrontier wilderness

9:15 CAT | 12 Oct 2016

File photo /Lioness caught in gin-trap

Lions have been found butchered for their bones after falling victim to a mass poisoning in Limpopo Park, in Mozambique. The Limpopo Park is adjacent to South #Africa’s famous Kruger National Park and forms part of the massive transfrontier wilderness area dubbed the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. The dead lions are a blow to the park as Peace Parks explained on their Website that one of the top priorities was to focus on “sharing the benefits of Great Limpopo with those living in the surrounding area.” Despite the management board implementing a strategy to encourage livelihood diversification with local residents, it seems the Asian demand for #Lion bones continues to motivate poachers to target lions.

Lions and vultures used for traditional medicines

As efforts are currently being made to address the poisoning of elephants, lions and vultures in the area, the deliberate mass killings are disheartening. The poison also killed #Animals that poachers for the commercial wildlife trade seem to have no use for. The dead warthogs, nyala and impala were left to rot, along with fish eagles and kites. The dead which were targeted for their commercial value were two lions and 22 vultures. The lions were dismembered for their bones, while the vultures had their heads removed. The vulture heads are used in traditional medicine treatments in Southern Africa. Tim Snow, CEO & Founder of Wildlife Poisoning Prevention and Conflict Resolution, said in a Facebook post that vultures in Africa “are in trouble,” as they are often victims of random poisoning. The fact that vultures can be early indicators of poaching activity means that the hunters will not hesitiate to destroy the birds.

Source: US Blasting News