A man has been killed by a lion as he took a shower at a safari camp near the Zambezi river in Zimbabwe.
Businessman Peter Evershed was dragged from the shower in the Mana Pools National Park by five lions and killed in a frenzied attack.
According to the Mashonaland West provincial police, Evershed was taking a shower under a tree near the campsite when he was surrounded by the pride.
“He screamed for help from other tourists who quickly drove to the scene flashing their lights in a bid to scare away the marauding lions,” said a police spokesperson.
However, the lions were not frightened off until safari operator Steven Pop fired shots in the air. By that time Evershed had suffered a fatal throat wound, according to Zimbabwe’s Herald Online.
Johnny Rodrigues of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force said the recent spate of wild animal killings were a direct result of poaching.
“Usually you hardly hear of anything like this, but these animals are being traumatised,” he told BBC News.
“These fishing camps don’t have security fences, but that’s why people go there – and you go there at your own risk because it’s a wildlife area and they’re trying to keep it as natural as possible.
“You’re going into a wildlife area, you should be aware that it is risky but no hunter or anybody entices lions to come near the camps – that’s a lot of hogwash.”
Zimbabwe’s wildlife has been severely damaged by the country’s economic problems over the last decade as people turn to poaching and illegal hunting for food.
“There’s been a lot of snaring and shooting of animals in the area so it’s upset the animals,” said Rodrigues.
Last month, a South African tourist was killed by an elephant in Zimbabwe.
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