Rhino poacher trampled by elephant, then eaten by lions, South Africa park says

A search Thursday for a suspected rhino poacher trampled by an elephant at Kruger National Park in South Africa turned up only a skull and a pair of trousers, game officials say.

The man’s body had apparently been eaten by a pride of lions, according to a statement from the park.

“Entering Kruger National Park illegally and on foot is not wise, it holds many dangers and this incident is evidence of that,” said Glenn Phillips, managing executive of the park, in the release.

“It is very sad to see the daughters of the (deceased) mourning the loss of their father, and worse still, only being able to recover very little of his remains,” Phillips continued.

The man had entered the park with four others to poach a rhino Tuesday night when he was killed by an elephant, the park reported. His accomplices notified his family, who then asked the park for help finding the man’s body.

A search Wednesday came up empty, but a larger effort Thursday found what was left of the slain poacher, according to the park. His four suspected accomplices have been arrested.

African rhinos are targeted by poachers for their horns, which are believed by some to be an aphrodisiac, CNN reported.

Black rhinos, some of which are found in Kruger National Park, are critically endangered, with fewer than 5,000 left in the wild, according to the network.

This story was originally published April 7, 2019 at 8:15 AM with the headline "Rhino poacher trampled by elephant, then eaten by lions, South Africa park says."