Philanthropist who devoted life to saving lions killed by one as he went to loo
Businessman Bernd Kebbel, 59, tragically died when a lioness attacked him in the early hours of Friday morning as he exited his tent on top of a 4x4 to go to the toilet
A philanthropist who devoted his life to saving Namibian desert lions was tragically killed by one of them when he woke up at night to go to the loo.
Dad-of-two Bernd Kebbel, 59, and his wife Conny, 57, had joined a wildlife expedition at a camp in the Hoanib River in the north of the country when the tragic incident happened in the early hours of Friday morning. According to reports, the wealthy man and his wife were asleep in their tent mounted on top of a 4x4 when Mr Kebbel woke up as he needed to go to the toilet.
However, while climbing down a ladder from his tent, he wasn't aware that a lioness was waiting in the dark. The animal quickly attacked him, with its jaws tearing into the man's neck and throat. Mr Kebbel's screams woke up the rest of the camp who rushed to his rescue and they chased the lioness away before it could devour its victim.
But sadly, nothing could be done to save Mr Kebbel, who was killed almost instantly in the attack, Namibian police said. His blood-soaked body was covered up until authorities could arrive at the camp. It is now feared that the lioness, named Charlie by locals, may be hunted and shot dead, Mail Online reported.
A Namibian lion expert who spoke on condition of anonymity said: "Thankfully it would have been quick as a human is no match for a lioness that is in its prime. There are only about 60 desert lions in this region of Kunane where the attack happened and in this particular area around the Hoanib Camp maybe a dozen at the very most.
"The desert lions have adapted to the harsh and burning desert environment and have become extremely adept night-time hunters as there is no cover for them during the day. They are quick and fast and extremely strong and do not get much opportunity to hunt so can become very hungry – hungry enough to risk attacking a feared human."
Namibian police said: "There were brave efforts by fellow campers who drove the animal away but it was too late to save him from the fatal injuries inflicted to his neck." A spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment and Tourism said an investigation was launched after Mr Kebbel's death.
Mr Kebbel's children are now said to be travelling to Namibia to comfort their mother at their home in the capital, Windhoek. According to local news website The Namibian, Mr Kebbel was the former owner of the Outdoor Centre and was well known in desert lion researcher circles.
Namibian desert lions are a unique population that have adapted to survive in extremely arid conditions, particularly along the Skeleton Coast. They are known for their ability to adapt their diet to include marine prey, including seals and seabirds, due to the scarcity of their usual pray like oryx and ostriches.
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A Namibian lion expert who spoke on the agreement of anonymity said: 'The desert lions are quick and fast and extremely strong and do not get much opportunity to hunt so can become very hungry – hungry enough to risk attacking a feared human' (file image) Lion expert Izak Smit said that the nation's most famous expert in the field, Dr Philip 'Flip' Stander had even named an adult male Kebbel in his honour. Mr Smith said it was to recognise the large sums of money Mr Kebbel had paid into looking after lions but, tragically, Kebbel had become a 'problem animal' after allegedly killing the local wildlife. A big game hunting firm had even offered a £50,000 licence to rich hunters in order to kill the predator, but before the offer was taken up the magnificent solitary male was poisoned by the local farmers. There are about 38,000 free roaming lions left in Africa, mostly in conservation areas, with the Namibian Ministry of the Environment & Tourist estimating they have just 800. The majority are in the Etosha National Park, with about 110 in the North-West including the Kunene Region where Mr Kebbel was killed while on one of his many wild safaris. Weighing 170kgs, the desert lionesses can run at up to 50mph and measure two metres long, not including the tail. Meanwhile, their powerful jaws have teeth up to four inches long. With very little water in the desert areas along the Skeleton Coast and in the mountains, inland the lions get their liquid from the bodies of prey like ostrich and antelope and seals. But, as villages move further and further into lion territory, creating increased human/lion conflict, the predators often attack livestock and villagers reply by shooting, snaring or poisoning them. The violent death of Mr Kebbel was confirmed by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the Namibian Police who said that it happened near the Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp. A Namibian police spokesman said: 'There were brave efforts by fellow campers who drove the animal away but it was too late to save him from the fatal injuries inflicted to his neck' Mr Ndeshipanda Hamunyela, a spokesperson for the tourism ministry, confirmed that officials had been dispatched to the site, adding: 'We can confirm that Mr Kebbel was killed. Our team is on the ground investigating'. He added, however, that it was too early to make a decision on what would happen to the lioness and they would rely on an experts report. Close friend Sharon Baines said on social media: 'What a shock Bernd & Conny as you were just settling in to enjoy the best years of life and everyone is just devastated right now. 'Gentle Bernd your smile and humility will be remember and you made the world a better place. Conny, Heidi and Dieter, there are no words, but we wish you strength and love'. Another post from Marius Burger read: 'Desert lions adapted to survive in the harshest of terrain so are very dangerous as they can be starving and just desperate to find fresh prey. 'Sadly this lioness has tasted human blood and flesh and will have lost its natural fear of a human. There will be little choice than to hunt it down and euthanise it'.
