A prolific trophy hunter who slaughtered lions, giraffes and elephants in South Africa has been shot dead at point blank range after his truck broke down.
Riaan Naude, 55, ran the company Pro Hunt Africa which boasts of its ‘eco-hunting’ while sharing gruesome pictures of dead endangered animals.
He was found dead next to his Toyota in Limpopo after pulling it to the side of the road when it overheated.
A witness said two men emerged from a white Nissan, shot him in the head, stole a pistol and then fled.
Naude was discovered along with two hunting rifles, whiskey, clothes, water and pijamas.
Police spokesman Lt. Col. Mamphaswa Seabi said they have not yet established a motive.
He said: ‘The man was lying with his face up and there was blood on his head and face.
‘The motive for the attack and the subsequent murder is unknown at this stage.’
A local cattle herder had heard the single gunshot and then saw the Nissan speeding away towards Marken.
A gun cartridge was found next to the body.
Naude’s company offered hunting safaris in the north of South Africa near Kruger National Park.
A hunter’s day rate costs £250, and customers can enquire for a special rate to hunt the so-called Big Five of lion, leopard, black rhinoceros, African bush elephant and African buffalo.
Other animals offered by Pro Hunt Africa include baboons, hyenas, zebras and warthogs.
Non-profit organization Protect All Wildlife claimed Naude was involved in breeding and selling giraffes to customers solely for hunting purposes.
The “hunters” should have posed smiling over Naude’s dead body…. just like he used to do over the bodies of slaughtered endagered animals!!!
Sammy, you are 100% right.c
Karma at its best!
It is about time. The only thing better , would have been if he had been let loose , defenseless and hunted like the animals he slaughtered .
Poor excuse for a human being .
Didn’t know lions could use rifles…
They don’t but their teeth make great weapons.
Wow! I love how you depict a lawful hunter as a poacher. You all suck at writing and as for all you in the comment section: how dare you?! You are acting like his MURDER is justified. You all are what’s wrong with this world. If he wasn’t controlled hunting, these lions, leopards, and other animals would be overpopulated and attacking humans. Then you would be crying about that.
How can they be overpopulated when they are endangered? The numbers are so low and this hunter got what he gave….death. Being a ‘hired’ hunter, as he was, doesn’t make him lawful. He was a hired poacher in many peoples eyes. Karma has a way of getting those who are wrong in the end….period.
Hunting has a useful purpose if it’s meant to put food on the table. But killing just to kill is wrong. And that’s what this guy was doing. I guess he got his comeuppance and he saw what it was like to be on the other side when there’s somebody killing just for “fun”.
GOOD
Glad to see this. He got what he deserved.
WHAT A PIECE OF TRASH THIS SO-CALLED AUTHOR IS!!!! This is COMPLETELY BIASED journalism and should have NEVER been even thought of been used !! The TRASH of an author should have been FIRED immediately and should NEVER be hired by ANY media that consider themselves legitimate….of course I expected some scumbag trash comments but an author of a published article should NOT be published when they are biased…the hunter was LEGALLY hunting and providing the extremely poor citizens of that country a great source of income and removing a constant threat to their lives….he was MURDERED! It had NOTHING to do with his act of LEGAL hunting.
h3 deserved i t…those animals are innocent.
Touche!! It’s about time he got his just desserts!! It should happen to any big game hunter because killing these animals especially when they are killed in captivity is not hunting. These animals are becoming endangered and these killers don’t seem to care about anything but their egos. Can’t wait til they brag about a big kill and they are shamed for doing so!!
Glorious day for the animals. A selfish, greedy, entitled murderer is gone and the animals can celebrate.
I support the right to arm bears