So. A lion attacked someone in Victoria Falls again. No, not at the lodge with the infinity pool and optional gin bar. This happened in the real Victoria Falls — the one with dusty paths, long school walks, and goats that look both wise and unbothered.
A man named Metrod Tshuma (29) from Woodlands Resettlement Area survived what can only be described as a National Geographic episode filmed without permission. The lion bit off his thumb, clawed his head, and generally behaved in ways lions are known for when they feel hungry, cornered, or confused about their career path.
Miraculously, Metrod survived. He’s recovering in hospital and even had the presence of mind to thank God — which I guess is fair when you survive something with claws and the roar of a thousand ancestors.
But this isn’t just a wild one-off. It’s part of a bigger, more complicated, and frankly exhausting situation called Human-Wildlife Conflict.
Wait… What Is Human-Wildlife Conflict?
Ah, glad you asked.
HWC is what happens when people and animals both want to use the same space — except one of them needs to go to school in the morning and the other just mauled a donkey.
In places like Woodlands, surrounded by conservation areas and parks, humans and wildlife are not neighbours — they’re reluctant roommates. And let’s just say, the lions don’t pay rent, but they do collect… in beef.
Climate change, habitat loss, population growth, and dodgy resettlement policies have all made the situation worse. These are not “problem animals” — these are problem systems.
But people still lose cows. Kids still walk past lion tracks to school. Farmers still find their kraals empty and wake up to hoofprints… or worse.
VFWT: The Unsung Heroes Who Actually Know What They’re Doing
Now, I’ll admit my bias here: I once worked at Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust — and it was hands down the most fulfilling job I’ve ever had.
Why?
Because unlike a lot of conservation work that looks good in brochures but skips the real issues, VFWT is out here actually doing the work.
🔬 They do wildlife diagnostics and forensics
(Vet CSI, but with fewer sunglasses and more buffalo dung)
🧠 They educate communities about co-existing with wildlife
(Because yelling “lion, go home!” doesn’t always work)
🛠️ They help build predator-proof kraals
(A cow in a VFWT kraal sleeps like a baby)
👨🏽🌾 They respond when livestock are killed
(Not just “Sorry for your cow, here’s a pamphlet,” but real investigations, data collection, and support)
VFWT and similar organisations like VFAPU (Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit) have boots on the ground, literally and figuratively. They respond to calls, collaborate with ZimParks, and work closely with local leaders and farmers — because in Victoria Falls, conservation isn’t just about saving lions. It’s about saving livelihoods.
“So You’re Saying We Should Love Lions Now?”
Listen — nobody’s saying you should cuddle a lion (please don’t), or that you should pretend losing your cow isn’t devastating.
But what I am saying is that it’s not the lion’s fault either.
It’s easy to paint wildlife as the enemy when your community is under threat. But they’re just animals trying to survive a collapsing ecosystem. They don’t know what boundary lines are, and they certainly don’t care about colonial land designations.
The real challenge is designing systems where humans and wildlife both get to live, not just survive.
Here’s the Dream (It’s Not That Wild)
- Kids should be able to walk to school without tripping over lion prints.
- Cows should come home every night, not just on a good day.
- Conservation should mean something to the people who live with its consequences.
- And organisations like VFWT should be fully funded and properly recognised, because they’re doing the work most of us just tweet about.
We don’t want a war between animals and humans. We want a better peace. And we’re already halfway there — if we support the people and organisations getting it done.
A Final Word From a Local
Victoria Falls is beautiful. Magical, even. But it’s also real.
It’s where baboons steal your lunch, elephants knock down your gate, and yes — sometimes lions try to eat you. But it’s also where people are building real solutions, brick by brick, kraal by kraal.
And if you ever want to see true bravery? Don’t look at the lions. Look at the communities still trying to live with them — and the conservationists who refuse to let either side lose.
Support the work. Share the stories. And for the love of everything holy, build stronger kraals.
Brighton John
Former VFWT staffer, bush-bred Falls native, and lifelong dodger of lions, monkeys, and unnecessary meetings.
📖 Read more semi-sane ramblings about wildlife, politics, and life in Zimbabwe at
🌍 blissfulignorance.online