Live donkey meal for lions causes outcry

A recent incident on Intu Africa Lodge where a donkey was literally fed alive to three lions, caused outrage among conservationists. Even environment and tourism minister Phillemon Malima said he was dismayed about that method. Despite statements from the lodge management, that the gory scene was an "accident," a photo taken by a British couple with the donkey’s head up while lying on the ground and a lion chewing on its hindquarters, told a different story. The photo was published in a local English daily. The lodge staff, who wanted to show the tourists lions, did not behave in a way that caused the tourists to think it was an extra-ordinary scene or an "accident."

The AfriciCat Foundation was also informed the incident. The young scientist, Ms Yanna Smith studying the lions is a daughter of a local newspaper editor. When approached, Ms Smith told a German daily, that she saw nothing wrong feeding live animals to lions in a fence-in area of 500 hectares.

Navigation on the Chobe River along the commons border between Botswana and Namibia should "remain unimpeded, including free movement of tourists," the joint commission of technical experts on the delimitation and demarcation of the boundary between the two countries recommended in their final report. Although its was concluded in June 2002, the report was only officially handed over to President Sam Nujoma and President Festus Mogae of Botswana in March this year the Ngoma border post. After Cabinet approved it a few weeks ago, it was tabled in parliament this week. The commission further recommended that fishing, grazing and ploughing activities at the Chobe River, also called Kwando or Lenient, should be allowed to continue. A few tourism lodges on both sides of that river may now, with official consent, move tourists between both riverbanks for outings and boat trips.