A total number of seven lions have been shot dead in South Africa after two escapes in a 24-hour-period from the Karoo National Park in the Western Cape, News24 reports.

The publication reports that in the first incident, in the early hours of Monday morning, three lions from the seven escaped from the park’s boundary onto the private property, according to the country’s National Parks Head of communications, Rey Thakhuli.

Upon the escape, they subsequently killed 10 sheep on the neighboring farm.

“Rangers were immediately despacthed and succed in chasing the animabls back to the park. They then slept on the mountain in case the lions returned to the cacasses, which they did during the night,” Thakhuli said.

He said the South Africa National Parks’ predateor management policy made provision for the control of damage-causing animals.

“In an attempt to deter human-predator conflict and consevration, a management decision was taken to react quickly and put down the entire pride of lions.

“Because of the very difficult mountainous terrain, rangers could not get close to the animals on foot. A Helicopter was subsequently brought in to assist in putting down the two sub-adult males, three sub-adult females and two adult females.”

Thakhuli said the animals were considered a “damage causing group of animals” who was concentrated in high mountainous areas next to the northern boundary of the park, causing a serious risk to human life and livestock.