Three children killed by lions in African wildlife reserve

The attack took place near Tanzania’s Ngorongoro wildlife reserve

Lion attacks on people and cattle are not uncommon in Tanzania (AFP via Getty Images)

Three young children have been killed by lions near Tanzania’s Ngorongoro wildlife reserve, local police have said.

The attack took place on Monday when the children, aged between nine and 11, went into a forest to search for lost cattle, Arusha police chief Justine Masejo told AFP.

“That is when the lions attacked and killed three children while injuring one,” he said.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a multiple land use area, where protected wildlife wanders freely among communities like the Maasai, who are permitted to live within national parks in order to feed their cattle.

Lion attacks on people and cattle are not uncommon in Tanzania; last year, 36 Serengeti lions were relocated after a slew of attacks in the surrounding communities.

Mr Masejo added: “I would like to urge the nomadic communities around the reserved areas to take precautions against fierce animals especially when they task their children to take care of the livestock. That will help to protect the children and their families.”

The three victims have been named as Ndoskoy Sangau, Sangau Metui and Sangau Kadonyo, while a fourth child, Kiyambwa Namuyata, escaped the incident with multiple injuries, according to the Citizen.

Lobulu Meeje, a head teacher from Ngoile primary school, told the newspaper the three children killed were from the same family.

“Information I have, after school session they were told that their cattle had got lost and they started to search before they were attacked by lion,” they said.