A group of poachers who broke into a nature reserve in South Africa to hunt for rhinos have been attacked and eaten by a pride of lions.

It wasn’t long ago that the body of David Baloyi was found in Mozambique after he was devoured by the predators and now the MailOnline reports that the same has happened to at least three illegal hunters.

The gang were attempting to slaughter a herd rhinos for their horns but came off second best at the Sibuya Game Reserve near Kenton-on-Sea, South Africa.

It has been reported that a head and other body parts were recovered from the area on Tuesday (July 3), along with three pairs of shoes.

A vet was required to tranquilise six lions so that police could go inside and recover the remains.

Staff at the nature reserve also found high powered hunting rifles with silencers, wire cutters and an axe which can be used to cut off rhino horns.

Owner of the reserve, Nick Fox, 60, said: “We found enough body parts and three pairs of empty shoes which suggest to us that the lions ate at least three of them but it is thick bush and there could be more.

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“They came heavily armed with hunting rifles and axes which we have recovered and enough food to last them for several days so we suspect they were after all of our rhinos here.

“They were clearly intent on killing rhinos and cutting off their horns.

“But the lions are our watchers and guardians and they picked the wrong pride and became a meal.

“Whilst we are saddened at any loss of life the poachers came here to kill our animals and this sends out a very clear message to any other poachers that you will not always be the winner.”

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The popular game reserve, which covers 30 square miles, is also home to the rest of Africa’s big five – elephant, buffalo and leopard.

In 2016, the reserve lost three rhinos when poachers got into the park and shot them dead and cut off their ivory horns.

According to the Mirror, nine rhinos – all of which were shot with a high-calibre hunting rifle – have been killed by poachers on Eastern Cape reserves already this year.

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Police spokeswoman Captain Mali Govender confirmed that the remains had been found in the lion camp and that detectives were on the scene trying to work out how many were eaten.

Captain Govender said: “We do not know identities but firearms have been taken by the police and will be sent to the ballistics laboratory to see if they have been used in poaching before.”

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