Poacher mauled and eaten by lions in Kruger

The head of a male was found beside a pair of hunting rifles in the South African national park

Poaching in the Limpopo region seems to be on the rise, with three male lions found poisoned with their paws cut off last year
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A suspected poacher has been mauled and eaten by a pride of lions at a private nature reserve near Kruger National Park in South Africa. 
Human remains were discovered over the weekend. Limpopo Police spokesman Moatshe Ngoepe told AFP: "It seems the victim was poaching in the game park when he was attacked and killed by lions. They ate his body, nearly all of it, and just left his head and some remains." 
The police and the home affairs department are still in the process of identifying the victim. 
The discovery of two .456 calibre rifles and ammunition near a human head suggested the deceased was a poacher. 
Poaching in the Limpopo region is reported to be on the rise, with three male lions found poisoned and their paws cut off last year. 
The Born Free Foundation has criticised the decision to place lions on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species List, meaning that international trade of their body parts is still legal. 
Lion body parts are used in traditional medicine, particularly in South-East Asia where they are substituted for tiger bones which are becoming increasingly rare. A lion's skeleton can fetch up to £7,000, while a hide can be worth up to £3,000 and teeth £500 each.