Staff at Duisberg Zoo fed the carcass of an elderly zebra to the lions

The zebra was 24-years-old and had been put down by the staff in Germany

Incident similar to Danish zoo feeding a dead giraffe to the lions last year

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

Photos show how the handsome lions had bitten off the head of the zebra and were only to happy to pose for photographs next to the stripey carcass

Visitors at a zoo in Germany got a shock when they saw a pride of lions munching on a large zebra inside the lion enclosure.

Photos show how the handsome lions had bitten off the head of the zebra and seemed very happy to pose for photographs next to the stripey carcass.

It was later revealed that zebra was very elderly and had been put down by staff at the Duisburg Zoo in Germany.

Zoo science director Jochen Reiter confirmed that the zebra was around 24-years-old and had to be put to sleep due to its ill health.

Mr Reiter said that animal rights rules would have meant it was cruel to keep the struggling zebra alive in the zoo.

However it was decided that rather than burying the animal's corpse, the zoo gave the zebra to the lions instead of their usual lunch.

The lions seemed delighted and quickly set among the large zebra and the chance for a change in diet.

The zoo's act of feeding the dead animal to the lions is reminiscent of an similar incident at a Copenhagen zoo in Denmark last year

Mr Reiter said that animal rights rule would have meant it was cruel to keep the zebra alive in the zoo

'For predators, feeding them with whole bodies is the best from a nutrition psychology point of view,' said Reiter in an interview with Bild.

'In the animal there's everything: vitamins, innards, bones to scrape off tooth plaque. And it's very fresh meat. Our two lions will enjoy it for about a week.'

Duisburg Zoo was founded in May 1934 and is one of the largest zoos in Germany.

The zoo's act of feeding the dead animal to the lions is reminiscent of a similar incident at a Danish zoo last year.

Staff at Copenhagen Zoo fed the remains of a giraffe inside to the lions for lunch.