Poachers beheaded and chopped the paws off three male lions to use in traditional medicine, South African police say.

The big cats were fed poisoned meat at a Tzaneen Lion and Predator Park in the country's Limpopo province, before they were mutilated.

Police spokesman Moatshe Ngoepe said the poachers got into the park by cutting through three fences.

Traditional healers in the region are prepared to pay top prices for rare ingredients.

Park workers found the lions' bodies and game lodge owner Andre de Lange said it was the second time poachers had struck in six months.

Police followed a trail of blood from the site of the find to a main road where the poachers apparently had a getaway vehicle waiting.

The corpse of a lion, with decapitated head and chopped off paws at a game lodge in Limpopo province, South Africa, after being found by staff. Police spokesman Moatshe Ngoepe said that the lions were fed poisoned meat before they were mutilated (AP)

Mr de Lange said poachers had told him the animal parts were obtained on commission from traditional healers in Mozambique.