South Africa — An unidentified man suspected of being a poacher was killed and eaten by a pack of lions over the weekend near the Kruger National Park in South Africa, according to local media reports.
What little remained of the man was found in a private game reserve in the northern province of Limpopo. Authorities initially believed the deceased to be an employee who had gotten stuck while driving a tractor, but that individual has since been verified to be alive.
A rifle and ammunition were found near the mostly-devoured body, leading investigators to suspect the man had been illegally poaching in the area.
“It seems the victim was poaching in the game park when he was attacked and killed by lions,” Limpopo police spokesman Moatshe Ngoepe told Agence France-Presse (AFP). “They ate his body, nearly all of it, and just left his head and some remains.”
Police say South Africa’s Department of Homeland Affairs has been called in to aid in identifying the deceased, and spokesman Ngoepe told local outlet Sowetan Live the endeavor may be made easier because of what the lions left behind:
“The process of identifying the deceased has already commenced and it might be made possible by the fact that his head is among the remains that were found at the scene.”
Authorities say there isn’t enough information at present to determine if the man was there specifically to poach lions, but Limpopo Province has seen a spike in the activity in recent years.
Historically, the region has been home to higher levels of rhino poaching, which is far more lucrative. Michael ‘t Sas-Rolfes, who studies market influences on poaching at the University of Oxford, told National Geographic the reward for taking lions just isn’t the same:
“If you look at the economics of poaching, these guys are taking a risk. It’s got to be worth their while. The probability [of being caught] and penalty is about the same…but the price for lion body parts is way lower than rhino horn.”
In fact, says Sas-Rolfes, when lions are poached it’s usually either a revenge killing or simply someone being opportunistic.
Still, lions are being killed. In January of 2017, three lions were poisoned to death in Limpopo, their heads and paws cut off. Then, in June, poachers poisoned two lions who had been rescued from a circus and were being rehabilitated in the province.
AFRICA: Where nothing dies of old age.
“They ate his body, nearly all of it, and just left his head and some remains.”
OUTSTANDING!!! POETIC JUSTICE!!!!!
I love cats… of ALL kinds. This POS got EXACTLY what he deserved!
“The process of identifying the deceased has already commenced…”
Sans fingerprints, you’ve got your work cut out for you.
The only thing that could be any improvement on this would be if they came to find out that the perp was a jew.
Agreed!
Sh.t, no pictures!! I wanted to see his eyes.
Too bad elephants couldn’t do the same thing to ivory poachers back in the day. Nowadays though ivory importation is illegal in a lot of countries, but don’t expect the elites doing this to pay the price. I too, love cats (even our mountain lion friends), so, yes, the dude got what he deserved. As for rhino horn poaching, bad idea–rhinos are needed to stamp out fires, for one thing. A rhino’s gonna do what a rhino’s gonna do.
I agree with you in spirit, but the idea of poaching must equate to illegal taking of game. The elite on the other hand, go to the same places and shoot the same animal for the same trophy which they hang on their walls instead of selling them, and this said to be perfectly legal.
Poaching is usually the charge levied on a commoner by a king.
At the very very top lies the level that profits by both of the aforementioned without notice.
*** In fact, says Sas-Rolfes, when lions are poached it’s usually either a revenge killing or simply someone being opportunistic. ***
“Revenge killing”? Any person who takes “revenge” against an animal is a moron. An animal acts according to its nature and can’t be “guilty” in a moral sense. It has no idea if it has done something that could be considered “wrong.” So what good is “revenge” against an animal, other than to satisfy the base instincts of a puny-minded person?
Of course domestic animals sometimes need to be disciplined, and wild animals sometimes need to be dispatched for the safety of humans or other animals, or to protect crops. But those are separate issues.