Suspected poacher mauled to death, eaten by pack of lions in South Africa

Matthew Diebel | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Pack of lions ate a poacher, left only his head A suspected poacher was mauled to death by a pack of lions he was hunting in a private game park outside of Kruger National Park, in South Africa.

A suspected poacher in South Africa was mauled to death and almost completely eaten by a pack of lions, according to multiple media reports.

The remains were found over the weekend in the bush at a private game park just outside the famed Kruger National Park, which lies in the far northeast of the country.

Officials found a rifle and ammunition next to the body, according to the local Eyewitness News website.

"It seems the victim was poaching in the game park when he was attacked and killed by lions. They ate his body, nearly all of it, and just left his head and some remains," police spokesman Moatshe Ngoepe said. Police are trying to establish the victim's identity.

"We are still trying all other means, including the Home Affairs Department, to get his history, which may lead us to his residential place," Ngoepe told the Sowetan newspaper.

"The process of identifying the deceased has already commenced and it might be made possible by the fact that his head is among the remains that were found at the scene."

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Earlier, it was thought the dead man was a farmworker whose tractor had broken down, Eyewitness News reported. However, Ngoepe said that farmworker was found alive — his tractor did break down, but he managed to walk to safety.

The incident comes just months after a poacher was charged and severely injured by a rhino he was hunting for its horn in nearby Namibia. Lion and tiger bones and elephant and rhino horns are prized in Asia for their supposed restorative and virility powers.