“Our children have been murdered!! RIP” reads a post by Jugomaro Predator Park on its Facebook page confirming that three of its lions and a tiger were poisoned on Friday morning.

“Our beautiful boys‚ Kai‚ Elvis‚ Hercules [all lions] and Taariq [the park’s Golden Tabby tiger] suffered a very painful death‚ we were able to be with them till their last breath‚ they bit onto the fences in pain…..the poison used is deadly‚” the post reads.

It is believed that the big cats were fed liver laced with the poison commonly known as "Two-Step"‚ according to reports.

The park is located in the Vaalwater area outside Lephalale in Limpopo.

Police said the owner of the park was awakened by his dogs’ barking in the early hours of Friday and when he went outside to investigate‚ he found the cages where the lions and tiger were kept open.