Guests experience a lion collaring first-hand in the Karoo National Park. Marakele National Park Two radio collars for lions were contributed to Marakele National Park by the Pretoria, Midrand and Johannesburg regions. The collars were fitted to lions in the Dithabaneng pride in Marakele National Park. Six lions were fitted with collars in total, four being provided by the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University for a postgraduate research project. The collars will provide accurate data on the pride’s movements and behaviour and will facilitate tracking by park management. Ultimately, the data will inform management action in the park. Koketso Kotsoe (Park Manager: Marakele National Park) expressed gratitude for the collars. Karoo National Park After past lion escapes from the Karoo National Park, all lions have been fitted with radio collars. These collars have a limited lifespan and are costly to replace. The Boland Region offered to pay for one of two new lion collars. They invited six paying guests to stay at the Berghut in the Karoo National Park, which was made available by the Karoo Region. The guests were able to witness the darting and collaring of the lions. Funds raised will go towards the replacement of future collars. 108 SANParks Honorary Rangers 2024 LION COLLAR PROJECTS Members’ activities continued
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