13 Mar 2014

A 68 year old man of Mababe village is recuperating at Letsholathebe Memorial hospital after he survived a lion attack.

Mr Kopano Gakena who works as a security guard at Mababe Hunting Camp told BOPA in an interview that he met his ordeal near the camp while collecting fire wood in the bush in the evening around 1800 hours.

He suspects that the lion was resting under one of the trees and suddenly attacked and caught his leg and threw him to the ground. Mr Gakena said he fought the lion as it gripped and bit his arms.

He sustained serious injuries to the head, arms and legs. “I was screaming for help and fight for my life at the same time.

I grabbed its head and through its gnashing teeth, I managed to put my hand in its mouth and started pulling its tongue”, he added. He said the lions’ tongue saved his life as the big cat became hopeless and loosened its grip on him and started to retreat into the bush.

Mr Gakena said the lion gave up and fortunately his colleagues and members of the community came to his rescue. They took him to the clinic as he was heavily bleeding and he was immediately transferred to the main hospital in Maun.

He said the matter was reported to wildlife officers who are currently hunting for the lion. Efforts to get a comment from the wildlife department were futile. Ends