SOUTH AFRICAN police and park officials stated that a suspected poacher was trampled to death by an elephant and then eaten by lions.

Isaac Phaahla spokesman for the Kruger Nationa Park in South African said the man and his alleged accomplices were illegally hunting when the elephant surprised them.

The alleged accomplices told the victims family he was crushed to death. The family then alerted the Rangers and requested they search for his body.

After a two day search with an aircraft, Rangers and the help of the victim’s accomplices, the Park Rangers found his skull and trousers near a pride of lions. They assume that the animals devoured the rest of his the corpse, as that was the only remaining part of the deceased.

Kruger National Park Rangers assisted by Komatipoort and Skukuza SAPS helped the family of a suspected poacher to find closure by recovering his remains in the Crocodile bridge section.

The man’s accomplices have been arrested and will appear in court.

Managing Executive of the KNP, Glenn Phillips commended those who were part of the search party, and for helping the family find closure. It was unfortunate and sad to see the daughters of the deceased mourning, and only being able to recover meager of his remains.

South Africa is home to roughly 80% of the worlds rhino population.

Poaching of rhinos is a severe problem in Africa, as the demand for rhino horn increases. It is estimated to fetch up to $60,000 a kilogram. It is believed to be more expensive than gold. Therefore as long there is a demand for rhino horns, South Africa will lose rhinos to the slow, agonizing blows of a poacher’s machete.

Thousands of endangered animals are killed by criminal syndicates yearly. These syndicates go all out to silence those who seek to expose them. It’s a vicious circle.

Entering Kruger National Park illegally and especially on foot is not very wise, as it holds many dangers and this incident is proof thereof.

Rhino horns made up of keratin, the same type of protein that makes up hair and fingernails. Rhino horns have no health benefits to humans, yet people still grind up the horn to use as medicine and multi.

A rhino horn can grow back to almost full size if dehorned without cutting into the skull.

The IUCN Red List identifies the Black, Javan, and Sumatran rhinoceros as critically endangered.