The mauling took place June 15 in Musalanga, on the border of North Luangwa National Park. I have only the basic facts of the encounter from Dale Beatty of PHAZ, Professional Hunters Association of Zambia. He says the mauling occurred as Reeve and a Spanish client were following up a wounded lion. "The lion leapt from tall grass beside the path at very short range onto Shaun - who managed to shoot it in the air. The lion landed on him and had the energy left to bite him on the left arm, hand and shoulder. The client shot the lion while it was on top of Shaun, at which point the tracker assisted in killing it with his axe," Beatty told me last month.
Beatty said Reeve was evacuated to South Africa where he still was at press time. The only injury that may have lasting effect, Beatty says, is one Shaun sustained to his thumb. "He may or may not lose that finger," Beatty said.
We're happy to report that the accident does not appear to have been caused by negligence or carelessness. In fact, it appears that quick thinking and old-fashioned grace under pressure prevented this accident from being a lot more serious. Our best wishes and a salute go out to Shaun Reeve....
Still in Zambia, the hunting areas controlled by a company called Sable Transport have been taken away. The affected areas are Sandwe and Chisomo. The South African company that was conducting the hunting there is called Sable Safaris. If you have a hunt booked with that company in Zambia, get in touch with your contact there right away. The new Director General of ZAWA (Zambian Wildlife Authority), Dr. Lewis Saiwana, was quoted in local media........(continued)
