In early February, a handful of karmic justice was served. Animal lovers worldwide are saying a suspected animal poacher in South Africa got exactly what he deserved when the lions he was trying to poach decided to poach him instead.
The man’s body was discovered in Kruger National Park in Limpopo, South Africa. The man was on the property illegally and was located next to a loaded rifle with ammunition nearby. His identity is still unknown, but all signs point to illegal poaching.
“It seems the victim was poaching in the game park when he was attacked and killed by lions,” Moatshe Ngoepe, Limpopo police spokesman, revealed.
As they say, “You mess with the bull, you get the horns.” It’s not so much a coincidence as it is a safety hazard. Being in the wild, with free roaming, large animals native to the area— no matter your intention— is a danger in itself. Still, some are thinking there may have been some karmic retribution at hand…
“They ate his body, nearly all of it, and just left his head and some remains.”
The population of lions in South Africa has steadily been decreasing throughout the years.
In the last two decades alone, lion populations have gone down a whopping 43%. Lions are now completely extinct in seven African countries. In 2017 alone, the population of wild lions dropped by 10,000.
Unfortunately, trophy killings are a popular hobby amongst American hunters. A 2016 report estimates that 90% of trophy killings in South America are done by US citizens. Aside from trophy killings, bones and body parts of exotic animals, like lions and tiger, are often sold for use in traditional medicines, such as wines.
Even more depressing, it isn’t just wild lions being attacked either! Lions bred in captivity or brought to sanctuaries for rehabilitation and protection aren’t as safe from poaching as you may think.
Over 20 captive lions in Limpopo, a province in South America, were killed or harmed in 2017. Despite many of these facilities being equipped with security and armed guards, these precautions offer no guarantee. In a horrific turn of events, lions in captivity are specifically being bred to be hunted, as well. This does nothing for ongoing conservation efforts and can be deemed undeniably cruel.
In 2017, two elderly lions were slain while living in a protected sanctuary. The lions had been rescued from a circus in 2014 and brought to Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary to be cared for. Despite 24/7 security and armed guards on the premises, illegal poachers still managed to kill the beautiful creatures who were only trying to live out their days in peace.
Many animal sanctuaries exist to help protect lions and many other animals in South Africa, but until the demand for these animals go down and there is no money to be made, poaching will unfortunately always be a problem.
Laws need to change to protect these beautiful animals before it’s much too late. Too often poachers get away with these senseless deaths— but this time, the lions fought back.
This story is similar to another I’ve written in the past. You can read it here.
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