Rhino Poacher Killed By Elephant And Eaten By Lions In South African National Park

South African National Parks released a statement explaining only a skull and a pair of pants remained after a suspected rhino poacher was killed by an elephant and then eaten by lions in Kruger National Park.

A man, along with four others, entered the park with intentions of targeting black rhinos. An elephant “suddenly” attacked the alleged poacher, killing him. Then according to police, “his accomplices claimed to have carried his body to the road so that passersby could find it in the morning. They then vanished from the Park”.

The fellow poachers notified the man’s family of his death, and a search party set out to recover the body soon after. Foot Rangers and helicopters failed in locating the body that day due to lighting but discovered the following day what was left of the poacher’s remains. “Indications found at the scene suggested that a pride of lions had devoured the remains leaving only a human skull and a pair of pants,” the statement said.

Managing executive of Kruger National Park, Glenn Phillips, sent his condolences to the man’s family but also warned, “Entering Kruger National Park illegally and on foot is not wise, it holds many dangers, and this incident is evidence of that. It is very sad to see the daughters of the deceased mourning the loss of their father, and worse still, only being able to recover very little of his remains.”

Three of the other poachers were arrested by the South African Police Service while officers continued to investigate exactly what happened. The suspects appeared in Komatipoort Magistrate Court to face charges of possessing firearms and ammunition without a license, conspiracy to poach and trespassing.

The African black rhino is considered critically endangered, especially since its population plummeted from about 65,000 in 1970 to 2,400 in 1995, according to Kruger National Park. Conservation efforts have increased their existence, and there are now about 5,000 black rhinos in the world, living predominantly in South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.