. Earth Science News .
FLORA AND FAUNA
Villagers in Niger 'massacre' 27 hippos
 by Staff Writers
 Niamey (AFP) July 13, 2017


3 lions shot after escaping from South Africa's Kruger Park
Johannesburg (AFP) July 13, 2017 - Three male lions that escaped over the weekend from South Africa's Kruger National Park have been shot dead after a farmer found them eating his cattle, officials said Thursday.

The farmer shot one dead and wounded another on Wednesday.

Parks authorities armed with rifles then used a helicopter to track down the injured animal and the third lion.

"We had to obviously kill the wounded lion because it becomes very dangerous," South African national parks spokeswoman Janine Raftopoulos told local media.

"With the last one remaining, because he had come into contact with the farmer's livestock, we assessed the situation and the decision was taken to put (him) down."

She said that if the lion had been returned to the park, it would have tried to escape again and would be a threat to humans and livestock.

Four lions were first reported to have escaped.

Kruger Park, which borders Zimbabwe and Mozambique, is home to about 1,500 lions, and nearly the size of Belgium.

Animals sometimes slip past the barrier fences, especially during the dry winter season.

Two months ago, five other lions escaped from the park. Four were re-captured in neighbouring farms and one is still on the loose.

Officials said animals usually escaped through dry river beds or holes along the fence.

At least 27 hippos have been slaughtered in a touristy zone in western Niger by villagers who blame them for destroying crops and harming livestock, local authorities said on Thursday.

The "massacre ...started in March and then assumed dramatic proportions" mainly in island settlements on the Niger river, the prefect of the Ayorou region, Jando Rhichi Algaher, told AFP.

Large numbers of hippos and several bird species have made Ayorou, about 200 kilometres (125 miles) from the capital Niamey, a popular place for tourists.

Patrols by troops "have helped slow the slaughter", Algaher said.

"The locals have killed a large number of hippopotamuses, although this species is protected," Environment Minister Almoustapha Garba said on state radio.

"We urged the local people not to break the law and took note of their concerns," said Garba, who promised to pay compensation to the affected farmers.

Tension is high in Ayorou after the arrest of about ten people suspected of killing a hippopotamus. Some of the suspects have been freed, Algaher said.

In May, local tribal chiefs issued warnings about hippos, saying they were ravaging crops and threatening boats on the Niger river.

In 2014, 12 schoolchildren aged between 12 and 13 were killed when a hippo attacked their boat on the Niger at Libore, a village near Niamey.

FLORA AND FAUNA
Colorado camper wakes to find bear biting head
 Los Angeles (AFP) July 10, 2017
 A staffer at a Christian summer camp in Colorado has told of his shock at waking to find his head clamped in the mouth of a bear. The 19-year-old survival instructor at Glacier View Ranch described his "immense pain" as he heard the black bear "crunching" on his skull. It dragged him around 12 feet (four meters) before being scared off by other campers, and is being hunted by parks offic ... read more
Related Links
 Darwin Today At TerraDaily.com

Thanks for being here;
 We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once

credit card or paypal
 		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly

paypal only


Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.
Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

FLORA AND FAUNA
Separated by war, Iraqi children wait for parents

 Haiti's army reborn 20 years after it was demobilized

 The last survivors on Earth

 Civilian deaths soar in Iraq, Syria: monitoring group
FLORA AND FAUNA
Breakthrough tool predicts properties of theoretical materials

 Semiliquid chains pulled out of a sea of microparticles

 A plastic planet

 Strengthening 3-D printed parts for real-world use
FLORA AND FAUNA
New algorithm, metrics improve autonomous underwater vehicles' energy efficiency

 MH370 search reveals hidden undersea world

 Risky business for fish in oil-polluted reef waters

 World's northernmost coral reef in Japan bleached
FLORA AND FAUNA
Thawing permafrost releases old greenhouse gas

 Sentinel satellite captures birth of behemoth iceberg

 Massive iceberg

 US need for four polar icebreakers 'critical,' warns report
FLORA AND FAUNA
Kenyan cattle herders defend 'necessary' land invasions

 Disneyland China falls a-fowl of huge turkey leg demand

 Using treated graywater for irrigation is better for arid environments

 Disneyland China falls a-fowl of huge turkey leg demand
FLORA AND FAUNA
Crustal limestone platforms feed carbon to many of Earth's arc volcanoes

 Two killed in 6.7-magnitude quake off Greece and Turkey resorts

 Seven killed as India floods death toll rises to 83

 7.7-magnitude quake hits off Russia: US scientists
FLORA AND FAUNA
Peace deal eludes Senegal's Casamance, 35 years on

 Rwandan forces killing suspects without trial: HRW

 AU chair questions US stance on African peacekeeping

 3 killed in north Mali clashes as UN condemns violence
FLORA AND FAUNA
Artifacts suggest humans arrived in Australia earlier than thought

 Father's presence encourages sibling bonding among baboons

 Startup touts neuro-stimulation as 'medicine for the brain'

 Towards a High-Resolution, Implantable Neural Interface








The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.