JOHANNESBURG – A lion is on the loose in Fochville, west of Johannesburg.

Police and wildlife authorities are hunting for the young male that escaped about six weeks ago.

Non-profit company, Captured in Africa says the lion may have been kept illegally and its behaviour is unpredictable.

READ: Somewhere in Mpumalanga, a lion sleeps tonight

Captured in Africa’s Drew Abrahamson said: “What has possibly happened here is that the people could not have had a permit, if they report him as missing they would get quite a hefty fine from nature conservation. If he’s gotten out and they can’t report anything because they don’t have that permit so it would be illegal.”

“It’s not very easy because when lions get out of their natural environment, their behaviour changes slightly because they know that they’re not where they’re supposed to be. So pinpointing a location becomes a little difficult. You need to kind of rely on any kills made or various sort of tracks or anything like that.”

eNCA