JOHANNESBURG – South African National Parks (SANParks) has announced that it will be relocating Sylvester the lion to the Addo Elephant National Park in the country’s Eastern Cape province.

The South African lion that twice broke out of his reserve at the escaped from Karoo National Park – will be sent to bond with two lionesses and learn how to become a dominant male.

His new enclosure is 200-hectares.

The country’s parks service said this week that Sylvester, at three years old just reaching maturity, was a good candidate for an alpha role, a status that should also keep him contained.

Last June, the cat went on a three-week rampage, killing 28 sheep over 300 kilometres before he was found taking a nap by rangers and airlifted from the Nuweveld Mountains, 1,750 metres above sea level.

SANParks branded him a problem animal after his second break out in March and said he might have to be put down, provoking a public outcry.

“This lion, at three years of age, is still young enough to bond with the two females and ultimately establish himself as the resident pride male,” SANParks chief Fundisile Mketeni said in a statement.

Once the three lions have bonded, they will be released into the park to be free-ranging – with their territory soon to be extended as the fence between Kuzuko and the neighbouring Darlington section of AENP is set to be dropped – providing them with 60,000-hectares over which to roam.

– with other agencies