At least three suspected poachers who were apparently hunting for rhinos have been mauled to death and eaten by lions on a game reserve in South Africa, the owner said on Thursday.

The men entered the Sibuya Game Reserve on the southeast coast armed with a high-powered rifle and an axe in the early hours of Monday and were found dismembered the following day.

"They strayed into a pride of lions - it's a big pride so they didn't have too much time," reserve owner Nick Fox, 60, told AFP news agency.

"We're not sure how many there were - there's not much left of them.

"There seems to be clothing for three people. I've not heard of it before in our area."