''The poachers came here to kill our animals''
AT least three poachers who broke into a South African game reserve to kill a herd of rhinos were attacked and eaten by a pride of lions, it was revealed on Thursday.
Park staff discovered the grizzly body remnants at the Sibuya Game Reserve near Kenton-on-Sea on Tuesday, and called in a helicopter to search the area for more poachers, reports The Sun.
A vet tranquillised the six lions in the pride so police and staff could go inside and recover the remains of the poachers.
Reserve owner Nick Fox, 60, said: “We found enough body parts and three pairs of empty shoes which suggest to us that the lions ate at least three of them but it is thick bush and there could be more.
“They came heavily armed with hunting rifles and axes, which we have recovered, and enough food to last them for several days, so we suspect they were after all of our rhinos here. But the lions are our watchers and guardians and they picked the wrong pride and became a meal.
“While we are saddened at any loss of life, the poachers came here to kill our animals and this sends out a very clear message to any other poachers that you will not always be the winner.”
The game reserve, which sits on 50 kilometres of land, is one of the most popular in the Eastern Cape and is home to the Big Five - elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard.
The identities of the poachers is not yet known.
