Poaching in the Wrong Rhinoceros Reserve

It’s today’s feel good story. Poachers in South Africa broken into a rhinoceros reserve. They wanted to kill the beasts, presumably for their horns. Unfortunately for them, they ran into the reserve security force: a pride of lions. The lions had them for lunch. Or was it dinner. Park rangers have been picking up whatever remains of the poachers.

The New York Post has the story (via Maggie’s Farm):

Poachers broke into a rhinoceros reserve on an illegal hunt — and wound up as dinner for a pride of hungry lions.

At least three hunters were torn to shreds by six big cats at the Sibuya Game Reserve in Kenton-on-Sea, South Africa, where staffers this week discovered bloody body parts including a head and limbs.

“The lions are our watchers and guardians and they picked the wrong pride and became a meal,” reserve owner Nick Fox, 60, said of the poachers, the Daily Express reported.

“Whilst we are saddened at any loss of life, the poachers came here to kill our animals and this sends out a very clear message to any other poachers that you will not always be the winner,” Fox warned.

In a statement posted Thursday on the reserve’s Facebook page, Fox said the break-in by at least three poachers occurred late Sunday night or early Monday morning.

“We found enough body parts and three pairs of empty shoes, which suggest to us that the lions ate at least three of them but it is thick bush and there could be more,” Fox said.

R.I.P.