KIP Insolvencies, a liquidation company based in Pretoria, attempted to seize lions and tigers at Jugomaro Predator Park in Groblersdal, Limpopo, earlier this month as part of a liquidation settlement for Valitrade 59.
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Valitrade 59 is owned by Augusto Fernandes, who is also the co-owner of Jugomaro with his son, Justin and wife, Rosa.
Jugomaro has stated that it not in financial difficulties, however it has been caught up in a liquidation dispute of various assets belonging to Valitrade 59.
Liquidators from KIP Insolvencies arrived at Jugomaro on July 8 to remove the cats and allegedly sell them to a canned hunting company.
As a consequence of the liquidation dispute, the park’s 12 tigers, 12 wolves, five lions and one jaguar were listed to be sold for R250 000 (€18 370). Fernandes said his cats were part of a “shopping list” and “were going to be sold to a canned hunting company, where they would have been shot for trophies”.
Sias Van Rensberg, from KIP Insolvencies, said: “We categorically state that the animals were to be relocated to a conservationist and are not destined to be hunted or harmed in any manner whatsoever.”
However, Fernandes stated that there were many irregularities between the actions taken by the liquidators on July 8 and the comments made by KIP Insolvencies. No safety measures were taken by the security staff or liquidators when entering the park and the cats’ cages and proper protocol was not followed during the removal of the cats, added Fernandes. The cats were put into cages that could barely accommodate their size and weight.
Fernandes said: “On my knees, I couldn’t fit into one of the cages they had forced one of the 270kg lions in. They even banged his head trying to close the door.”
The cats were released back into the park on Thursday, July 9, and KIP Insolvencies has not contacted Jugomaro since.
However, this matter has not been resolved. “The matter is still in the hands of the legal advisers so, unfortunately, we cannot comment any further. Our primary concern is the safety and wellbeing of the animals at the park,” added Fernandes.
