A suspected poacher was killed and eaten by lions – with the big cats choosing to leave only his head behind.
The remains of the man were found next to a loaded rifle close to the Kruger National Park in South Africa on Saturday.
Limpopo police spokesman Moatshe Ngoepe said efforts were underway to identify the victim.
He told AFP: “It seems the victim was poaching in the game park when he was attacked and eaten by lions. They ate his body, nearly all of it, and just left his head and some remains.”
National Geographic reports the man’s body was found inside Ingwelala Private Nature Reserve. It is believed he was a poacher because he did not have a permit to be there.
According to WWF, African lion numbers have plummeted by over 40% in the last three generations, due to loss of living space and conflict with humans.
Three-quarters of lion populations are in decline. With only 20,000 in the wild, they are now officially classed as “vulnerable.”