A pride of lions has been shepherded back into the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park after killing at least five cattle in the neighbouring Okhukho area, near Ulundi in KwaZulu-Natal.

The pride of five lions is thought to have escaped from the western section of the 96,000 hectare Big Five game reserve last week to hunt domestic cattle grazing close to the park boundary fence.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesperson Musa Mntambo said the lions were believed to have crawled under a damaged section of the boundary fence adjoining the Okhukho rural community on 5 July, where they attacked and killed five cattle before returning to the park.

The predators (some fitted with tracking collars) escaped again about a day later, but were driven back into the park by Ezemvelo staff, with the help of a helicopter.

However, angry community members are demanding that park managers take more effective measures to ensure that lions, and other wild animals, remain in the park.

Msizi Myaka, spokesperson for the Okhukho Community Civil Organisation, said local residents were "continuously living in danger and facing the daily possibility of being mauled, killed or their livestock decimated by lions".

"[Last] week alone, we have recorded more than five consecutive...