African lions have just devoured a suspected poacher, based on police reports coming out of South Africa near Kruger National Park. The remains of the believed-to-be poacher’s body were discovered over the weekend next to a loaded rifle and ammunition at private game park in Limpopo, the country’s northernmost province.
"It seems the victim was poaching in the game park when he was attacked and killed by lions,” said Limpopo police spokesman Moatshe Ngoepe to the Agence France-Presse news agency. “They ate his body—nearly all of it—and just left his head and some remains.”
BBC News, TheNewDaily.au and multiple other sources said police have yet to establish the man’s identity but believe it is possible based on the fact that the person’s head is among the remains.
The site was discovered in the bush at a private game park near Hoedspruit near Kruger National Park where poaching has been on the rise.
I was hunting with my wife in 2015 as she hunted Cape buffalo in that area and were told poaching was increasing. A considerable part of this along the border of Kruger National Park consists of thick bush with multiple lions. The thick cover makes it difficult to catch poachers so it looks like in this case that poetic justice was served. Hopefully, this will make other poachers hesitate before heading into the bush.
The Limpopo province has experienced increased poaching in recent years. Lions’ body parts are still being used in traditional medicine in Africa and beyond, including in Asia where they are sought after as a substitute for tiger bones.
