Four lions were killed by poachers in the Rietvlei Nature Reserve in Tshwane on Friday evening.
Mayoral committee member for agriculture management, Dana Wannenburg says early on Saturday morning, conservation officials found the butchered carcasses in the lion enclosure.
The jaws and paws of all four lions had been removed.
Wannenburg says the police was notified and stock theft units were immediately dispatched.
He says while the investigation is still in an early stage, it appears as if the lions were poisoned and that the body parts were removed for “muthi” purposes.
To aid the investigation, the carcasses were taken to Onderstepoort for detailed analysis.
Wannenburg says Tshwane conservation officials, SAPS, and national and provincial departments will work around the clock to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.
- African News Agency
