Man Mauled to Death by Lions After Climbing Zoo Enclosure in Ghana

A lion mauled to death a man after he entered the wild animal's enclosure at Accra Zoo in Ghana over the weekend, according to local authorities. It was around noon on Sunday, August 28, when patrolling security guards noticed the intruder climbing over a tall fence in an attempt to enter the said enclosure, which includes a lion, a lioness, and two lion cubs. The exact motive of the entry is still unknown.

The authorities have conducted an investigation into the incident, including the objective of the victim, which has been reported to be a middle-aged man. While the probe is underway, unconfirmed reports indicate that the man was allegedly attempting to steal a lion cub or two in the zoo. Following the intrusion, the incident highlights lack of security measures or structural quality in the zoo industry.

Lions are one of the top animal attractions at Accra Zoo, located in the Achimota Forest in Ghana's capital city of Accra. The zoo houses a collection of other wild animals, including crocodiles, monkeys, camels, and large tortoises. While lion attacks are relatively rare, they do happen in the wild and even inside animal zoos and sanctuaries, which is manifested by the recent incident at the zoo.

Meanwhile, such attacks are not uncommon in areas where there is a close proximity between lion habitats and human settlements. In Africa, a number incidents involve lions attacking hunters, tourists, or even individuals in their own residential area. In particular, African lion attacks in the continent have ranged from hundreds to several thousand within decades.

Accra Zoo Lion Attack

The state Forestry Commission on Sunday in a statement confirmed that the "intruder was attacked and injured by one of the adult lions, as cited by NBC News.

The statement also revealed none of the animals escaped during the attack, while the enclosure remains secure, CNN reports.

The lion attack led to the temporary closure of Accra Zoo to the public until further notice.

Investigation is Ongoing

Wildlife officials are suspecting the man was planning to "steal two rare white lion cubs" which drew attention since their birth in November 2021, the BBC reports.

Since Sunday's incident is believed to be the first alleged attempt to steal the cubs, the local police are still establishing the circumstances surrounding the attack.

The lions can feel their cubs could be in a threat of being taken away when you come too close, according to Benito Owusu Bio, the deputy minister for Lands and Natural Resources, who told journalists, as cited by BBC.

Africa Lion Attacks

While it was mentioned earlier that lion attacks do occur in the continent, the record holder for these incidents is in Tanzania.

Over a 15-year period, there have been 1,500 reported deaths in the Njombe area of modern-day Tanzania from 1932 to 1947. The cause of the attacks involved three generations of lions who were reportedly inclined to hunt humans in the area as a pride.