A young woman who was mauled to death by lions while working at a game reserve has been pictured for the first time.
Swans van Wyke, 21, was set upon by the animals while performing her daily duties in the enclosure on Thursday.
Paramedics were called after she was found collapsed by the gate of the cage with devastating injuries.
She was covered in blood with deep bite and claw wounds, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police have launched an investigation at the game reserve at Bela-Bela in Limpopo, South Africa. An inquest has also been opened.
South African Police spokesman Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said:”Our initial investigations show she was performing her duties when attacked by an unknown number of lions.
“The circumstances leading to this tragic incident are still unknown at this stage”.
It is not known at this stage how many lions attacked Ms Van Wyke, or if those involved would be shot.
Police said it was a decision for the game lodge and the authorities that monitor game lodges.
It is understood that game lodge staff who witnessed the aftermath and co-workers of Ms Van Wyke will be offered counselling and time off.
The game lodge has been closed to the public since the fatal incident.
The lodge where the horrifying incident happened has not yet been revealed and there are dozens of lodges in the area.
In August last year, 70-year-old game lodge owner Leon van Biljon, also known as “The Lion Man”, was killed after he went into his lion enclosure to try and fix a broken fence.
The three lions who attacked him - Rambo, Nakita and Katryn - were shot dead afterwards at the Mahala View Lion Game Lodge at Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria in South Africa.
In May 2018, tourist Pieter Nortje, 55, had his arm savaged by a lioness after he put his hand into an enclosure at the Tikwe River Game Lodge in Virginia, Free State Province, South Africa.
In the same month, Mike Hodge, 72, owner of the Marakele Predator Centre in Thabazimbi, north of Johannesburg was attacked by a lion in an enclosure.
The British expat was dragged like a rag doll through the lion's den and was saved when keepers shot Shamba the lion dead.
