The four lions lived in a nature reserve: they were poisoned and dismembered to sell their body parts to sorcerers and healers.
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves himFour lions were brutally killed by poachers in the Rietvlei Nature Reserve, South Africa.
It is two male lions, Jarvis and Tau, e two lionesses Bashi and Tawani, poisoned last Thursday.
The four felines are died as a result of excruciating agony, after eating poisoned meat.
After death they were dismembered in a macabre way with a machete, to get parts of their bodies to sell to sorcerers.
When Bradden Stevens, the reserve's chief ranger, was called in to examine the shattered bodies of the lions he had been trying to protect for ten years, he was shocked.
'I have worked with these lions for 10 years in an environment where they were not exploited for human greed or vanity but which was part of responsible and ethical tourism.
These last few days have been the darkest I've ever lived and finding my lions, who were my life, the way I found them haunts me for the rest of my life.
I am convinced that the body parts of the lions will not go far, but will find their way into the local sorcerers' markets, as they are used to make traditional medicines or magical potions.
These markets must be closed and those who enter game reserves where these magnificent animals are safe and slaughter them in this way must be severely punished.
My heart is breaking for my four boys and I'm having a very dark time, ”said the ranger.
It is not the first time that the reserve's lions have been targeted by poachers: two other females - River and Serabi - were poisoned and killed in 2017, although in that case the poachers were disturbed before they could mutilate the bodies.
After that attack, the rest of the group was moved to a safer area of 250 hectares in the center of the game reserve.
Moving the animals wasn't enough to stop the poachers from wiping out the entire pride of lions last week.
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The hunters probably had a very good knowledge of the reserve, otherwise they would not have been able to hit the animals.
The poachers threw gods at the lions pieces of poisoned meat, then they witnessed the death of the four animals that for 15 long minutes they suffered excruciatingly. Finally, they reached the now lifeless bodies of the animals and with a machete they took off their legs and jaws.
Dana Wannenburg, head of the Environment and Agriculture office suspects the poachers may have been helped by someone who works within the reserve:
"We have increased security with police patrolling the main roads in and around the reserve to keep other animals safe."
The Rietvlei Nature Reserve extends over 3800 hectares on the edge of Pretoria and is home to 2000 wildlife including rhinos, hippos, zebras, cheetahs and numerous birds.
Until last week, the four beautiful lions who had been rescued from a situation where they were illegally detained were also on the reserve.
Lions could not be released into the wild as they would not be able to feed and survive. The reserve team went out of their way to protect and protect lions, but failed to anyway stop the cruelty of poachers who for money caused a terrible death to these splendid felines.
Unfortunately in South Africa lions continue to die at the hands of poachers who resell parts of the bodies of these animals: claws, heads and teeth are bought at a high price by healers who use them to prepare magical potions against negativity, make medicines against diseases or cast spells. Only in 2017 22 lions were killed within the reserves.
Read also:
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- The osprey hit by a shot: the hunt is underway, and there is a poaching alarm
- Poaching: mother roe deer and her 4-month-old puppy killed
Tatiana Maselli
cover photo
