Rangers have been dispatched to track down an escaped pride of lions, totaling some 14 big cats, that have been spotted roaming near a mining village outside the Kruger National Park in South Africa.

“We are currently still tracking where exactly they managed to escape from the Kruger National Park, but at the moment they are roaming around Foskor mine around Phalaborwa,” Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET) spokesperson Zaid Kalla said.

A meeting held between LEDET, The Kruger National Park and Greater Balule concluded that the lions are to be captured and released back at Kruger National Park.Employees at Foskor Mine and members of the public are hereby advised to be alert at all times. — Limpopo Government (@OtpLimpopo) June 7, 2019

Park rangers are currently tracking the animals and locals have been warned against taking matters into their own hands but also “to be alert at all times” as lions are territorial, and there may have been a dispute between the predators which spurred the exodus from the park.

“We must also keep in mind lions are territorial animals – when the male grows in the pride you find they are kicked out of the pride and they must go look for an area of their own and as they are doing that and the fence has fallen they will escape, not knowing that they are escaping,” Kalla explained.

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The lions are to be captured and safely returned back into the park, which is a popular tourist destination. There have been no reports of injuries or damage caused by the roaming band of big cats.

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