Walkabout lion Sylvester gets new friends to keep him home

SYLVESTER the lion that escaped from the Karoo National Park earlier this year has two new friends, which will hopefully prevent him wanting to leave his home again.

The three-year-old escaped from the park near Beaufort West in early June and was finally recaptured after a three-week search.

It is believed he got out through a hole in a fence after other lions forced him out of the pride.

It is hoped he will form a new pride with the two lions – a male and a female, both nearly four years old – from the Marakele National Park in Limpopo.

Karoo National Park senior section ranger Riaan Nel, who cracked three ribs and broke a fourth when he fell while searching for Sylvester, said they suspected Sylvester’s sister, Inge, was pregnant from another lion and that was why he was kicked out of the pride.

Sylvester – who has been dubbed “Spook” by park officials since his 400km walkabout because all they could see for days was his spoor – has been kept in isolation in a boma in the park since he was recaptured.

The lions were flown in from Marakele at about 11am and arrived at the airstrip outside Beaufort West at 5pm. SANParks veterinarian Dr Peter Buss, who flew down with them, said the trip had gone well.

Sylvester was darted before his new friends were brought into the boma. The three lions were expected to start waking up after a few hours.

Officials will keep an eye on them in the boma over the next few weeks before releasing them into the park, which now has 13 lions. -Karen van Rooyen [gallery link="file" ids="103351,103352,103353,103354,103355,103357,103358"]