Teh One Who Knocks
10-05-2018, 10:39 AM
By Gemma Mullin - The Sun
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FIVE lions were found brutally murdered at a wildlife reserve including one named Mufasa whose face and paws had been hacked off.
Poachers broke into Akwaaba Predator Park in Limpopo, South Africa, and began mutilating the male lion named after the character in Disney's The Lion King.
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Mufasa, named after the Disney character in The Lion King, was found with his face and paws hacked off
But they were disturbed by staff and fled the scene on Monday night, leaving Mufasa lying in his own blood while four other lions had been poisoned.
Workers believed poachers were also planning to mutilate all of the big cats and use their body parts for black magic rituals or sell them to a trophy collector.
Park manager Bronwyn Moss said: "It's heartbreaking. All the lions were hand reared from when they were cubs so it's like losing five children.
"They were close to our hearts. My only hope is that the lions were already dead by the time the poachers started chopping off parts."
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It's thought they poisoned all five animals with a fast-acting drug, which is yet to be identified, before hacking off Mufasa's front paws and part of his face.
The horrifying discovery was made by patrolling officers at around 11.30pm who then called the farm manager.
Ms Moss said: "He saw a lot of blood in the one enclosure and found that the one lion's two front feet and face were chopped off.
"We suspect that the lions were all poisoned at the same time and that the poachers were disturbed by the security guards before they could hack parts off the other lions.
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"The poachers could have been after the parts to make traditional medicine or they could have been harvesting them for a trophy collector. We hope to get to the bottom of it soon."
Police and wildlife authorities have been contacted and are carrying out an investigation.
Akwaaba is also offering a reward of 100,000 rand (about £5,270) to anyone who has information that could lead to an arrest or conviction of the poachers.
In an appeal on the park's Facebook page, a post read: "So to all our friends and family of Akwaaba, those of you who have not heard yet.
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"Tragedy struck last night at our park. We lost 5 Lions to murderers. That is what they are, they killed our babies. Our hearts are broken.
"We are down but not out. as you may have seen, we are offering a cash reward for any information that leads to the successful capture and conviction of these murderers.
"Please help us, lets stand together and find these monsters!!!!!"
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q90/922/tCSaFO.jpg
FIVE lions were found brutally murdered at a wildlife reserve including one named Mufasa whose face and paws had been hacked off.
Poachers broke into Akwaaba Predator Park in Limpopo, South Africa, and began mutilating the male lion named after the character in Disney's The Lion King.
https://imageshack.com/a/img922/5803/LKuoyK.jpg
Mufasa, named after the Disney character in The Lion King, was found with his face and paws hacked off
But they were disturbed by staff and fled the scene on Monday night, leaving Mufasa lying in his own blood while four other lions had been poisoned.
Workers believed poachers were also planning to mutilate all of the big cats and use their body parts for black magic rituals or sell them to a trophy collector.
Park manager Bronwyn Moss said: "It's heartbreaking. All the lions were hand reared from when they were cubs so it's like losing five children.
"They were close to our hearts. My only hope is that the lions were already dead by the time the poachers started chopping off parts."
http://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/9158/8YDM9O.jpg
It's thought they poisoned all five animals with a fast-acting drug, which is yet to be identified, before hacking off Mufasa's front paws and part of his face.
The horrifying discovery was made by patrolling officers at around 11.30pm who then called the farm manager.
Ms Moss said: "He saw a lot of blood in the one enclosure and found that the one lion's two front feet and face were chopped off.
"We suspect that the lions were all poisoned at the same time and that the poachers were disturbed by the security guards before they could hack parts off the other lions.
https://imageshack.com/a/img924/1967/J0lQ1x.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/4409/itHChA.jpg
"The poachers could have been after the parts to make traditional medicine or they could have been harvesting them for a trophy collector. We hope to get to the bottom of it soon."
Police and wildlife authorities have been contacted and are carrying out an investigation.
Akwaaba is also offering a reward of 100,000 rand (about £5,270) to anyone who has information that could lead to an arrest or conviction of the poachers.
In an appeal on the park's Facebook page, a post read: "So to all our friends and family of Akwaaba, those of you who have not heard yet.
http://imagizer.imageshack.com/img921/3800/QSQeMN.jpg
"Tragedy struck last night at our park. We lost 5 Lions to murderers. That is what they are, they killed our babies. Our hearts are broken.
"We are down but not out. as you may have seen, we are offering a cash reward for any information that leads to the successful capture and conviction of these murderers.
"Please help us, lets stand together and find these monsters!!!!!"