A poacher hunting rhinos in South Africa was trampled to death then eaten by a pride of lions in a gruesome attack.

The incident happened at Kruger National Park (KNP) and saw four other poachers flee the game reserve in terror.

They were then picked up by the police and told them how a member of their gang had been killed.

Recalling the story the group described how an angry elephant surprised them as they stalked endangered rhino and stamped their friend to death giving them a chance to run for safety.

Kruger Park Rangers immediately set out for the area - known as Crocodile Bridge - and sent up their airwing in a bid to find the poacher’s remains before darkness fell.


Ranger Don English led the team out again at first light on Wednesday having reassured the distraught poacher's family he would do his best to recover the body.

But the rangers team had no luck and re-interviewed the captured poachers in a bid to get more detail as to where the elephant attacked and killed their friend.

The rangers then managed to find what was left of the poacher on Thursday but it appeared he had been eaten by a lion pride.

All that was left to bring back into camp was the poacher’s bloodied head and a pair of his pants.

#sapsMP Komatipoort: A human skull found in the Kruger National Park (KNP) is believed to be that of a man reportedly killed by an elephant while poaching with his accomplices on 01/04; duo arrested, rifles & ammo seized. MEhttps://t.co/XXsXpJqTjA pic.twitter.com/4Oye38Eddh — SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) April 6, 2019

Managing executive of KNP, Glenn Phillips, said: “Entering the Kruger illegally and on foot is not wise as it holds very many dangers and this incident is clear evidence of that.


“It was very sad to see the daughters of the deceased man mourning the loss of their father, and worse still, only being able to recover very little of his remains.”

Mr Phillips commended the search party for finding what was left of the poacher to give the family “some closure” and extended the parks’ condolences to his relatives.

At least three poachers were eaten by a lion pride last year at the Sibuya Game Reserve in Eastern Province, South Africa after they broke into the park to hunt rhino.

Owner Nick Fox said a head and a number of bloodied parts and limbs were recovered along with just a single empty shoe and their high powered hunting rifles and an axe.

Fox said: “We found enough body parts which suggest to us the lions ate at least three of them but it is thick bush out there and there could be more bodies out there.

“They came heavily armed with enough food to last days so we suspect they were after all our rhinos but the lions are our watchers and guardians and they became the meal.

“We are of course saddened at any loss of life but these men came to kill our animals and this sends out a powerful message to poachers that you will not always be the winner.”


The Kruger National Park is South Africa’s biggest reserve in the country and covers over 12,000 square miles and is home to the Big Five of rhino, elephant, buffalo, lion and leopard.

A South African Police Service spokesperson confirmed four men were in custody and they are investigating a fatality.