Dong Community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State on Monday was thrown into palpable tension over alleged escape of a hyena at the Wildlife park
Our correspondent gathered that the hyena escaped from it’s confinement at the park located in the community since Sunday thereby causing panic among residents of Dong and the neighboring State and Federal Low Cost estates.
Recall that a lion had in 2015 escaped from its cage from the park and was shot dead by security operatives in their bid to apprehend the wild animal.
However,the lion was replaced by the state government about one year afterwards.
The General Manager of Plateau State Tourism Corporation,Chuwang Pwajok confirmed the development in a voice message obtained by our correspondent in Jos on Monday .
Pwajok who assured residents that efforts were being made to track down the wild animal said “I received a report yesterday of escape of hyena from its enclosure at the Jos Wild Life Park and immediately directed all our staff especially the park rangers and animal keepers on hand to take immediate step to locate the animal .
“The effort has been ongoing since yesterday all through today and the report reaching me at the Jos wide life unit, has it clearly that the animal, the expectation at least is that it will not wander off far from its abode because It hasn’t been acclimatized to the surrounding environment and all it knows is the Jos wide life park
“You know the park is quite a huge span of land and all hands are on deck in trying to locate the animal and lure it back into its enclosure.
“So ,We’re all trying our best to make sure that there’s no harm on people within the park and even the animal. We sent out information to the public, informing them of what has happened”
The General Manager also dismissed insinuations that the hyena escaped from the park sue to hunger and starvation
He said “I just want to use this opportunity to address some misconceptions concerning what might have led to the escape of the animal, and would want to plead with general public to resist the temptation of using social media to send out unverified information.
” There are insinuations in some quarters that it left its enclosure due to hunger which is far from the truth. If anything, those who have visited the park for some months back and have equally gone back recently will attest that all our animals are looking heathier than they were before because His Excellency ,Governor Caleb Mutfwang has graciously approved upward review for the animals at the Jos wide life park. The resources for feeding these animals has consistently been released to this corporation.
” And one of the major priority areas at the Plateau State management team of the Plateau Tourism Corporation has remained the Jos wide life Park . Though ,there are several challenges that bedevils the park due to long years of neglect ,but these challenges are disappearing within the Jos wide life park
Some of the cages are old and we have consistently helped to manage this situation and I am very happy to report that very active measures are in place and very soon all the cages will be rehabilitated and modernized and people will see the new Jos wide life park that will give them rewarding game viewing experience. The rumor that the escape is due to hunger, is therefore far from the truth”
