A gang of poachers who broke into a South African game reserve to slaughter a herd of rhinos were attacked and EATEN by a pride of hungry lions.
Staff at the Sibuya Game Reserve, in Eastern Province, South Africa, called in a helicopter to search the area for more poachers.
A vet then had to tranquilise the six lions so police could go inside and recover the remains of the mauled poachers.
“But the lions are our watchers and guardians and they picked the wrong pride and became a meal.
In 2016 the reserve lost three rhinos when poachers got into the park and shot them dead for their horns.
Nine rhinos - all of which were shot with a high-calibre hunting rifle - have been killed by poachers on Eastern Cape reserves already this year.
In February a poacher hunting lions in the Umbabat Game Reserve near the Kruger National Park was killed by lions and was identified by his sister in law from his head - the only part of his body left. »