In a horrific instance of irony, police in South Africa found the body of a man they believe to be a poacher at the Ingwelala Private Nature Reserve in Hoedspruit. He was killed and eaten by the very lions he set out to hunt.
The man was not carrying documents but was identified based on a hunting rifle found near his body. Initially, police believed the man to be a tractor driver who worked at the reserve, but after the employee turned up alive they realized that the man was likely a poacher, The Daily Mail reports.
“A scream was heard and the lions were scattered by the sound of gunshots but it was too late to do anything for him. He was eaten.”
Lion bones are highly prized in certain areas of the world. The Daily Mail estimates that a skeleton can go for up to 7,000 GBP, the skin for 3,000 GBP, and the teeth for 500 GBP each.
But is it worth murdering a pride of lions or an endangered animal for a payday?
British wildlife photographer Charlie Lynham noted that the weapon found near the body was the “weapon of choice” of poachers but could not confirm because the incident is still under investigation. He said:
“…it would seem very possible that you have poetic justice here.”
“If you go out walking in the bush in the dark then I am afraid you are fair game in the wild and there is no way that anyone can attribute any blame to those lions for this kill.”
In a world where big game hunting is a sport that the rich indulge in for fun, the idea of nature biting back does indeed seem a bit of poetic justice.
Featured Image via William. H. Majoros/Wikimedia Commons
