TWO lions, including one majestic male, were killed in poacher snares in the KwaMsomi section of the Tembe Elephant Park on Monday.
‘Tembe’, a magnificent black-mane specimen and among the oldest lion on the reserve, was found by rangers with its head removed and its radio collar buried.
Nearby, a second lion, a sub-adult female, was later also discovered dead in a snare, while a third possibly escaped the same fate, leaving hair behind in yet another trap set by suspects who were probably targeting food species.
While the head was taken from the scene by the poachers, other body parts usually use for muthi were disregarded.
Tembe, who was named after the local tribe, was a great tourist attraction.
‘Although at the end of his productive life and no longer the dominant male, he was still big and beautiful and well known to visitors,’ said Ezemvelo’s uMkhanyakhude District Ecologist, Catharine Hanekom.
‘The cruel manner in which he died, as evidenced by the bloody scene, is what pains us most’
How sick can u get first is rhinos know lions for what this one of my favourite animals I wish they catch them and remove there heads
We are crying also I am the 1 who like wild animals too
Humans are destroying the planet at an ever increasing rate and soon the damage we are doing is going to come right back to us and get what we deserve.
All the charities and fund raising and things you can buy in the shops to prevent this and prevent that. In my opinion nothing is being prevented its only getting worse and if you support the fund raising by giving money then you are only make people rich you are not saving any animal. We have cruel people in this world and its sad and scary to think that my child must grow up in a place that has so much hate and no feeling for the living.