Snared hyena put out of its misery
According to KZN Ezemvelo the lone hyena had been terrorising the community and attacking their goats
A ROGUE hyena had to be put out of its misery last week after it had been snared and chased by dogs into a storm water pipe in the Mhlana area of KwaMthethwa Reserve at KwaMbonambi.
According to KZN Ezemvelo, they received a call from the iNkosi in the area about a lone hyena which had been terrorising the community and attacking their goats.
Ezemvelo staff, led by District Conservation Officer (DCO) Phumla Zulu, as well as field rangers, rushed to the area at midday on Friday where members of the community pointed out where the hyena had taken refuge in a nearby storm water pipe parallel to the road.
‘There was no way of safely catching the animal without putting our own lives at risk.
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‘It was in pain from deep lacerations around its neck where the snare had caught it.
‘It was cornered, in pain and frightened and we had no choice but to put it out of its misery.
‘When we examined the animal we determined that the snare had been around its neck for quite some time, judging by the extent of the injuries,’ said Zulu.
The community further informed members of Ezemvelo that a serval cat and a leopard have also been seen in and around the area.
‘Ezemvelo staff will continue to work in the Mhlana area to investigate more about the serval cat and leopard,’ Zulu said.
Members of the public in the uMhlathuze and Mfolozi local municipalities, are urged to immediately report any wild animal sightings to Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife DCO Phumla Zulu on 078 7457305, especially if they think the animal may pose a danger to people or to livestock.
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