Riaan Naude, who regularly posted photos of himself with the carcasses of lions, elephants and giraffes, was shot dead by unknown assailants near Kruger National Park.

A South African wildlife trophy hunter who regularly posted photos of himself with the bodies of giraffes, lions and elephants has been killed.

Riaan Naude was shot to death near his car in the eastern South African province of Limpopo, which is home to part of the country’s Kruger National Park.

The 55-year-old was the owner and founder of Pro Hunt Africa – a group that organised paid hunting trips for customers. Naude was found by police on Monday “lying with his face up” with “blood on his head and face," according to a police spokesperson.

Some local reports suggest that Naude was killed shortly after he stopped on the side of the road after his car overheated. Another car is believed to have pulled up alongside him before two men got out and shot him from close range. The suspects then quickly drove off after stealing one of Naude’s guns.

An investigation into Naude’s murder is underway, and there's currently no suggestion that he was targeted because of his trophy hunting – a lucrative activity that remains legal in South Africa.

In February, to the frustration of wildlife groups, the South African government announced an increase in the quotas for the number of endangered elephants, black rhinos and leopards that hunters can kill.

More than 125,000 animals are killed each year for trophies. That averages to approximately 126,000 animals killed and imported into our country each year. Between 2008 and 2017, nearly 40,000 animal trophies from African elephants, just over 8,000 from leopards, and 14,000 from African lions were exported worldwide.

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A territorial terrapin has been captured showing two lions who is boss as it aggressively shoos them away from its waterhole.

In the video the tiny animal is seen spooking the male and female lions by popping up in the water inches from their noses and charging towards them as they try to quench their thirst in Greater Kruger Park, South Africa.

The unusual footage was captured by safari guide, Reggi Barreto, 30, while on safari with a private guest near the Sand River in the MalaMala Private Game Reserve.

Mr Barreto said: 'There were plenty of elephants and general game along the way as we headed into the area where the lions were.'I knew the lions would look for water to drink and we positioned ourselves in the perfect spot with the sunlight in our favour, ready for the sighting.

'What came next we did not expect – I was pleasantly surprised when the terrapin came out of the wallow towards the male and then the lioness.'

The guide said that although the lions were mildly annoyed by the small reptile the lion and lioness continued to drink from the fresh waterhole until satisfied.

Despite both lions having blood on their chins from recently hunting a zebra foal the terrapin seemingly had no fear as it popped up just inches from the predators' mouths.Mr Barreto added: 'Both lions drank their fill despite the interruptions from the terrapin and then headed back closer to the zebra foal to lay down, as it was a very humid day.'

'It was an incredibly rare sighting for me to film – watching the terrapin approach the lions that had blood on their chins from the zebra. It seems as though the terrapin was actually more interested in getting some of that blood, as opposed to 'chasing the lions away'.

Mr Barreto said that capturing the right moment 'is all about understanding animal behaviour and predicting what they will do next.'

He added: 'It requires plenty of patience searching for animals and spending time with them to see how the sighting will pan out.'

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VIDEO

Throwing snowballs at lions does not sound the safest - or kindest - way to enjoy yourself. But when the animals are contained in a zoo enclosure and you are firing down on them from behind a safety barrier - it is a little easier to be brave.

These lions certainly looked less than pleased when they were pelted with snow by laughing visitors, including children, at Hangzhou Zoo in Zhejiang Province, eastern China.

The attack was reportedly launched by one young man, who began to take aim at the big cats with a barrage of snow and ice. The attack clearly frightened the helpless animals, with the lioness swiftly taking cover under a wooden plank.

The male line used a tree trunk as cover, with both eyes fixed on the visitors, as the missiles rained into the enclosure, ChinaSmack.com reports.

The man apparently laughed as he hurled the snow, with a group of other visitors, including a number of children, also starting to take aim at the lions.

One of them used large chunks of snow and threw them down with all of his strength, according to the website.

The frightened lions took shelter together in the corner of their pen as they tried to escape the new onslaught. The male lion roared in anger at his tormentors as they began to stroll away.

Sadly the lions were not the only animals to be pelted with snow, with some of the crowd also pelting the zoo's alpacas, monkeys, a giraffe, a tiger and other creatures.

A rhino poacher is believed to have been attacked by an elephant and then eaten by a pride of lions during an incident in South Africa’s Kruger national park.

Police brigadier Leonard Hlathi said police received information that a group of men had gone into the park on 1 April in order to hunt rhino, “when suddenly an elephant attacked and killed one of them”.

“His accomplices claimed to have carried his body to the road so that passersby could find it in the morning. They then vanished from the park.”

Hlathi said the group of men left the park and informed a family member of the deceased what had happened, who contacted police. Park rangers began a search for the man, on foot and by air, but could not locate the man at first due to failing light.

Rangers and police returned on 4 April and were able to find the man’s remains in the Crocodile Bridge section of the park.

“Indications found at the scene suggested that a pride of lions had devoured the remains leaving only a human skull and a pair of pants,” said Isaac Phaahla, the general manager of communications for the Kruger national park.


Three men, aged between 26 and 35, were arrested in the KaMhlushwa and Komatipoort precincts, police said in a statement.

The suspects appeared in court on 5 April charged with possession of firearms and ammunition without a licence, conspiracy to poach as well as trespassing. An inquest has also been opened into the cause of the man’s death.

The managing executive of Kruger national park said: “Entering Kruger national park illegally and on foot is not wise, it holds many dangers and this incident is evidence of that. It is very sad to see the daughters of the deceased mourning the loss of their father, and worse still, only being able to recover very little of his remains.”


South Africa, which is home to almost 80% of the world’s rhinos, has been hard hit by poaching. More than 1,000 rhinos were killed by poachers each year in South Africa between 2013 and 2017. The number dropped to 769 for 2018, with poachers targeting the animal for its horn, according to Save the Rhino.

Kruger national park has the largest concentration of rhinos on the planet, and has been a target for poachers. In 2015, more than 70% of all rhinos known to be poached in South Africa were poached in the park.

A rhino poacher is believed to have been attacked by an elephant and then eaten by a pride of lions during an incident in South Africa’s Kruger national park.

Police brigadier Leonard Hlathi said police received information that a group of men had gone into the park on 1 April in order to hunt rhino, “when suddenly an elephant attacked and killed one of them”.

“His accomplices claimed to have carried his body to the road so that passersby could find it in the morning. They then vanished from the park.”

Hlathi said the group of men left the park and informed a family member of the deceased what had happened, who contacted police. Park rangers began a search for the man, on foot and by air, but could not locate the man at first due to failing light.

Rangers and police returned on 4 April and were able to find the man’s remains in the Crocodile Bridge section of the park.

“Indications found at the scene suggested that a pride of lions had devoured the remains leaving only a human skull and a pair of pants,” said Isaac Phaahla, the general manager of communications for the Kruger national park.


Three men, aged between 26 and 35, were arrested in the KaMhlushwa and Komatipoort precincts, police said in a statement.

The suspects appeared in court on 5 April charged with possession of firearms and ammunition without a licence, conspiracy to poach as well as trespassing. An inquest has also been opened into the cause of the man’s death.

The managing executive of Kruger national park said: “Entering Kruger national park illegally and on foot is not wise, it holds many dangers and this incident is evidence of that. It is very sad to see the daughters of the deceased mourning the loss of their father, and worse still, only being able to recover very little of his remains.”


South Africa, which is home to almost 80% of the world’s rhinos, has been hard hit by poaching. More than 1,000 rhinos were killed by poachers each year in South Africa between 2013 and 2017. The number dropped to 769 for 2018, with poachers targeting the animal for its horn, according to Save the Rhino.

Kruger national park has the largest concentration of rhinos on the planet, and has been a target for poachers. In 2015, more than 70% of all rhinos known to be poached in South Africa were poached in the park.

This adorable set of pictures shows a pride of lions cuddling up for a family photo at a wildlife park in South Africa.

In one of the cute images the largest male lion is lying with his eyes closed while a female and another male rub their faces against him and a younger animal climbs on top.

Meanwhile in another picture the animals strike a more menacing pose with the leading male baring his teeth while the female gazes watchfully ahead.

Jihad Adnan, the Lebanese photographer who took the pictures, said he was expecting the big cats to fight but was delighted by the heartwarming display he saw.

The 37-year-old, who has been a nature photographer since 1999, snapped the images at a lion park in Johannesburg, saying: 'I saw the lions getting close to each other so I thought they would fight.

'But suddenly, after the lioness came with her cub, they started licking each other. I felt the love between them - the lion in the middle is the one saving this family.'


The lion lives in groups of related individuals with their offspring. Such a group is called a "pride". Groups of male lions are called "coalitions". Females form the stable social unit in a pride and do not tolerate outside females. Membership only changes with the births and deaths of lionesses, although some females leave and become nomadic.


The average pride consists of around 15 lions, including several adult females and up to four males and their cubs of both sexes. Large prides, consisting of up to 30 individuals, have been observed. The sole exception to this pattern is the Tsavo lion pride that always has just one adult male. Male cubs are excluded from their maternal pride when they reach maturity at around two or three years of age.