A lion that has been on loose for more than 24 days from a national park in South Africa has been recaptured.
A three year old Sylvester, was found 20km (12 miles) from Karoo National Park from which he had escaped on 5 June.
It is believed he made his getaway through a hole in a perimeter fence caused by recent heavy rains.
His departure caused panic with a tracker being hired from neighbouring Botswana to traverse the hilly, grassy scrubland and winding dry river valleys that make up the Karoo.
After travelling more than 200km (120 miles) the trackers caught up with Sylvester much closer to home while he was enjoying a sleep and soaking up the sun.
It was suggested that he might have been pushed out of the park by other lions because, as a single male, he was unattached to a pride.
In the 24 days that Sylvester had to fend for himself, he consumed 19 sheep, a donkey and a kudu - an African deer.
"That's how he survives," a zoo spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that there was a plus because, with a lion on the prowl, stock thieves were too scared to venture out.
His departure caused panic with a tracker being hired from neighbouring Botswana to traverse the hilly, grassy scrubland and winding dry river valleys that make up the Karoo.
After travelling more than 200km (120 miles) the trackers caught up with Sylvester much closer to home while he was enjoying a sleep and soaking up the sun.
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| The lion being airlifted home |
Sylvester has now been fitted with a tracking collar and has been taken back to the park where he will be put in an enclosure to see if he can be let loose in the park once more.
It was suggested that he might have been pushed out of the park by other lions because, as a single male, he was unattached to a pride.
In the 24 days that Sylvester had to fend for himself, he consumed 19 sheep, a donkey and a kudu - an African deer.
"That's how he survives," a zoo spokesperson said.
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| Lions Lions were reintroduced into the park in 2010 |
