Photo taken on May 12, 2017 shows the body of a lion which was killed in Ongandjera, northern Namibia. Members of Ongandjera community killed one of the four lions that have been killing their cattle at Omusati region, northern Namibia, since April. Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism in a recent press release said that human wildlife conflict cases have become frequent in the northern regions. (Xinhua/Nampa)

WINDHOEK, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Six lions that killed 21 head of cattle have so far been killed this year by cattle farmers in the north of Namibia.

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism said early May this year that six lions had escaped from the Etosha National Park, although farmers say that the number could be more.

The latest killings were on Sunday and Monday when a farmer killed two lions in the north, claiming that they had killed his livestock.

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism have in the past said that the lions could be escaping from Etosha National Park because of the growing population and the fight for territorial control.

While the officials said the population of the lions in Etosha had increased, they could not provide figures.

The Africat Foundation, however, says there could be anything between 600 and 800 lions in Namibia.

While the Ministry of Environment and Tourism spokesperson Romeo Muyunda sympathized with the farmers who lost livestock, he reminded them that lions are protected species.

Muyunda said the ministry will not tolerate the killing of lions and urged the farmers to call in officials from the ministry to help them when they spot the animals.

The issue of the lions has also become of concern to the king in whose area the killings are happening.

King Jafet Mupiya said Monday that while it is justifiable for farmers to kill lions that attack their livestock, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism should investigate the circumstances around each killing.

According to tradition, any farmer who kills a lion must take its carcass and that of the livestock it would have killed to the king's palace.

This should be done so that both the king and Ministry of Environment and Tourism officials will be convinced that the lion was preying on livestock.

The coordinator of a conservancy that is closer to Etosha National Park, Hilda Namwenyo Nathingo, said it becomes a crime in the event that a farmer kills a lion and does not prove that his livestock was in danger.