Drunk bar manager eaten alive by lions

LONDON - A bar manager was eaten alive by lions after he wanted to play with them following an all-night party at a wildlife park in South Africa, it was reported here.

Thirty-year-old Jan-Friederick Bredenhand was dragged into the lions’ complex by his legs after he climbed up a fence pole. He was then “ripped to pieces”, The Sun reported Tuesday.

The incident happened at the privately-run Addo Croc and Lion Ranch near Port Elizabeth.

The food and drinks manager was drunk and he wanted to “play” with the animals after the all-night party at the wildlife park.

Veluchia Hassim, a tourist who saw the lions chewing the victim’s carcass, said: “We ran to the encampment. It was horrific. One lion was gnawing on his ribs when we got there.”

The animals had to be shot dead so that the victim’s remains could be retrieved.

Jamiel Jonas, a friend of Bredenhand, said they had been partying all through the night.

“After they braaied (barbecued) and partied at the ranch entrance, they came back home, but he wanted to play with the lions,” he was quoted as saying.

“Then just after 5 a.m. his friend came screaming for us to phone the police and for an ambulance. He was drunk.”

“When we got to the camp we saw the remains of his body. Most of his stomach was torn out and his leg had been ripped off.”

Police spokeswoman Gerda Swart said: “He climbed the fence around their enclosure and clearly got too close…Since he was drunk he may not have been in sound mind, but it was an incredibly dangerous and stupid thing to do.”

“People who play dangerous games with animals like lions are asking for trouble - and he got it.”