A search party found human bones and trousers in the Kruger National Park in South Africa. They are believed to belong to a poacher, who was trampled down by an elephant in the hunt for rhinos and then eaten by lions.

Accomplices by the poacher had informed his family that the man had been killed last week by an elephant, said a spokesman for the park administration. The relatives informed about the management of the national park, who then searched for the corpse.

Rifles and ammunition ensured

The police said three men between the ages of 26 and 35 were arrested in the case. Two hunting rifles and ammunition were confiscated.

Of the other member of the group, despite an intense search until Thursday, only skull bones have been found, said park speaker Isaac Phaala. In the area, a group of lions had been spotted "and it seems they ate the body of the victim".

#sapsMP Komatipoort: A human skull found in the Kruger National Park (KNP) has been reportedly killed by an elephant while poaching with his accomplices on 01/04; duo arrested, rifles & ammo seized. Mhttps: //t.co/XXsXpJqTjA pic.twitter.com/4Oye38Eddh

- SA Police Service (@SAPoliceService) 6th April 2019

The director of the Kruger National Park, Glenn Phillips, took the incident as an opportunity to warn against unauthorized intrusion into the reserve. "Illegally and walking to the Kruger National Park is not wise," he explained. Rather, such actions are "very dangerous and this incident is a new proof of this".

Every year thousands of rhinos in Africa are killed by poachers. These are about the horns of the animals. They are considered to be a remedy in traditional Chinese medicine, although like human fingernails, they only consist of keratin. Especially in China and Vietnam high prices are paid for the horns.

In Africa live only about 5000 black rhinos, of which almost 1900 in South Africa. In addition, about 20,000 white rhinos live in the country, and thus about 80 percent of the world's population of this species.