Shangani Herdsman Fights for Life After Fierce Leopard Attack
GWERU – Brighton Moyo, a 27-year-old herdsman from Shangani, lies in critical condition at Bethel Private Clinic in Gweru after surviving a harrowing leopard attack at Open Hammer Farm in Matabeleland South Province on March 10.
Details of the attack reveal that Moyo was driving cattle to the kraal with a fellow herdsman when the leopard leapt out of the underbrush, knocking him to the ground.
The leopard’s claws left Moyo with severe injuries.
He screamed for help, desperately thrashing to free himself. After a desperate struggle, he managed to wrestle free and sprinted towards the nearby village for assistance.
Notably, Moyo’s ordeal is part of a larger trend.
This is not an isolated event. Zimbabwe has seen a surge in human-wildlife conflicts, with big cats like leopards and lions frequently targeting rural residents.
Some encounters have ended in fatalities, further highlighting the dangers facing communities living near wildlife habitats.
Last year December, another shocking incident occurred in Mathula Village, Tsholotsho District, where a 57-year-old woman fought off a lion. The woman, whose identity is withheld, was preparing her fields for summer crops when the lion charged.
She managed to grab the lion by the throat in a desperate bid to save her life, forcing the animal to retreat.
She sustained severe injuries but survived.
