Latest news with #ConnyKebbel
Daily Mail
09-06-2025
- Daily Mail
'I saw a lioness trying to EAT my husband, with his head in its jaws': Heroic wife relives moment she HIT lion in the face in doomed bid to save partner - and says she does not want the animal killed, despite his death
A 'heroic' wife who tried to save her husband after he was attacked and dragged off by a lion has spoken out about the terrifying ordeal for the first time. Conny Kebbel, 57, was on a wildlife expedition camp in northern Namibia with her businessman husband Bernd, 59, last month when a starved lion pounced on him and killed him. The father-of-two, who had climbed down a ladder from his rooftop tent mounted on the top of a 4 x 4 to use the bathroom in the early hours of the morning, was suddenly grabbed by the predator - a lioness called Charlie. The ferocious roar of the animal and the cries of her desperate husband as the lioness grabbed him by the neck and dragged him into the bushes alerted Mrs Kebbel, who was still sleeping in the rooftop tent. Speaking about her husband's tragic death, Mrs Kebbel described how he had left his tent at around 1.30 am, when she suddenly heard a sound. 'It was as if he was surprised and then a lion [began] growling. 'I looked out of the tent and saw a lioness had grabbed Bernd by his head,' she said as she relived the horror of the attack. Mrs Kebbel bravely rushed out of the tent and began hitting the lioness in the face with a satellite pole she had ripped off from a vehicle in an attempt to get the wild cat away from her husband. The 12-year-old lioness is said to have been on her last legs, skeletal and starving A man who was on the expedition with the couple also rushed to Mr Kebbel's rescue and managed to hit the predator in the head with a small torch, scaring the animal away before it could devour her victim. But nothing could be done to save the keen outdoorsman who was killed almost instantly in the savage attack. Charlie disappeared behind the bushes, but she then returned and 'continued to mock charge the group coming in from different directions'. 'Everybody fled into the cars because Charlie was posing a threat to us all', Mrs Kebbel continued. The tragedy happened during a desert trip in the Kunene Region where a group of six adults and six children travelling in three 4 x 4's had stopped to make camp. The night after Mr Kebbel's violent death, Charlie attacked another group nearby. A video was posted on social media of the damage she had caused to their tents as she tried to slash and bite its way inside. Following the horrific ordeal, officials of the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism shot Charlie dead as she took a break under a bush. A spokesman said: 'The animal had become habituated and used to humans and was posing an ongoing threat to community members and tourists so a difficult decision was made'. Conny Kebbel, who shares two children with her late husband, said: 'We are not angry. We have found peace. We did not want Charlie to die. It happened at a place we and Bernd loved.' A lion expert who has known Bernd and Conny Kebbel for over 10 years hailed her amazing bravery in taking on a lion killing her husband alone and unarmed. The tour guide who leads expeditions in the NW Namibiian deserts said: 'Conny has become part of folklore as who in their right takes on a lioness and lives. 'It is all anyone is talking about around the bush fires at night. 'She was said to have been screaming at it like a dervish and grabbed its leather collar and was physically hauling this thing more than twice her weight off Bernd. 'Her screams carried to the two other tents and another man bravely joined her in taking on the lioness armed only with a torch and battered it over the head. 'The lioness was shocked at being attacked and retreated but not far and tried to get back to her 'kill' a number of times but was driven back each time it came. 'The only thing they could do was get Bernd aboard a vehicle and away from there.' The lion expert added that the 'bravery of Conny is all that anyone is talking about right now'. The 12-year-old lioness is said to have been on her last legs, skeletal and starving. Photos of the animal taken just weeks before showed her bony body, suggesting she had not killed to feed for a long time. It is believed that her natural fear of human beings was overcome by hunger and she crept into the camp in which Mr Kebbel and his wife and their friends were camping out in. Mr Kebbel, who was originally from Germany, was a wealthy philanthropist who had spent large sums of money supporting Namibian desert lions. He also worked closely supporting the Desert Lion Project with donations and fitting out their research vehicles. Charlie was part of the three 'famous' orphan cub sisters of the Skeleton Coast who starred in an award-winning documentary on their incredible survival broadcast worldwide. Namibia has about 800 desert lions left with half in the National Park at Etosha and the rest scattered in the boiling heat and drought of one of the world's most inhospitable areas. There are about 38,000 free roaming lions left in Africa mostly in conservation areas and the Namibian Ministry of the Environment & Tourist estimates they have just 800 left. Every year in Africa lions are estimated to kill about 250 people. Conservation groups are warning tourists only to camp in designated sites managed by the local communities for safety but to also help protect lions like Charlie. One conservationist said: 'The loss of a human life, an irreplaceable lioness and part of Namibia's tourism and nature legacy, is mourned and may Charlie's story serve as a lasting reminder that true admiration of nature begins with respect and distance'.
Daily Mail
01-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Wealthy philanthropist who spent fortune supporting Namibian desert lions is killed by one after leaving his tent to use the loo
A wealthy philanthropist who spent large sums of money supporting the Namibian desert lions has been killed by one of the predators after leaving his tent to use the toilet. Businessman Bernd Kebbel, 59, was asleep with his wife Conny, 57, on a wildlife expedition at a camp in the north of the country, blissfully unaware that a hungry lioness was stalking him. As the father-of-two climbed down a ladder from the safety of his rooftop tent, mounted on the top of a 4 x 4, the man-eating beast was lying in wait in the dark and attacked him. His desperate screams woke up the rest of the shocked camp who rushed to his rescue in the darkness and bravely chased off the lioness before it could devour its victim. However the Namibian police, investigating the case, said that nothing could be done to save the keen outdoorsman who was killed almost instantly in the savage lightning fast attack. His blood-soaked body was covered up until the authorities could arrive and it is feared that the lioness, named by locals as Charlie, may be hunted and shot dead. The tragedy happened when Mr Kebbel got up in the early hours of Friday morning, unaware that the watching lioness had creeped into the sleeping camp. According to initial reports, Mr Kebbel climbed down a ladder from the tent on the roof and was then attacked and dragged away by the lioness whose jaws tore into his neck and throat. A Namibian lion expert who spoke on the agreement 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.' It is understood that Mr Kebbel and Conny's two children, Dieter and Heidi, both in their late twenties, are now flying home to comfort their devastated mother at their home in the Namibian capital, Windhoek. For many years, Mr Kebbel owned the Off-Road-Centre in Namibia's main city Windhoek which bought and sold 4 x 4 safari vehicles and also sold the accessories required in the wild. 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'.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lion Kills Wealthy Businessman in Bathroom Trip Gone Wrong
A wealthy philanthropist on an overnight safari in Namibia was mauled to death by a lion as he ventured to use the bathroom. Bernd Kebbel, 59, was killed 'almost instantly' on Friday morning as his wife Conny, 57, listened in horror from their tent, the Daily Mail reported. Kebbel was reportedly sleeping in a tent with his wife above a 4x4 on a campsite when he stepped down in the middle of the night and met his end at a camp in Northern Namibia. Investigating police added that there was not much Kebbel could have done to fend off the attack. 'Thankfully, it would have been quick as a human is no match for a lioness that is in its prime,' a Namibian lion expert told the Mail. '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.' A lioness locally known as Charlie is suspected of carrying out the attack. Authorities said the lioness will most likely be hunted and killed to prevent further attacks. Kebbel, an avid outdoorsman and businessman, owned the Off-Road-Centre in the Namibian capital, Windhoek, for many years, which bought and sold 4x4 safari vehicles and other accoutrements for wildlife ventures. Kebbel was also known as an avid supporter of wildlife in the area, donating large sums of money to protect the area's lion population, The Sun reported—so much so that an adult male lion was named in his honor. The lion later had to be killed due to becoming a 'problem animal' and attacking local wildlife. Kebbel is survived by his adult children, Dieter and Heidi, both in their late twenties, who are reportedly flying home to Windhoek to be with their mother.
The Sun
31-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Businessman mauled to death by lion after stepping out of his tent to use the toilet during overnight safari
A BUSINESSMAN who spent large sums of money supporting Namibian desert lions has been killed by one of the predators after leaving his tent to use the loo. Dad-of-two Bernd Kebbel, 59, was with his wife Conny on a wildlife expedition at a camp with friends in the north of the country before the horror attack. 1 The tragedy unfolded when Kebbel got up in the early hours of Friday morning. The philanthropist climbed down a ladder from the safety of his rooftop tent mounted on the top of a 4x4, before the beast lunged at him. His desperate screams woke up the rest of the shocked camp in Namibia who rushed to his rescue in the darkness. They bravely chased off the lioness before it could devour its victim. Namibian police said nothing could be done to save the keen outdoorsman who was killed almost instantly in the savage ordeal. His body was covered up until authorities could arrive. It is believed that the lioness with cubs - named by locals as Charlie - may be hunted and shot dead. A Namibian lion expert 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 expert added: '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." The businessman has two grown-up children, Dieter and Heidi, both in their late twenties. They are said to have moved to South Africa where they went to university before pursuing their careers. It is understood they are flying home to comfort their devastated mum Conny, 57, at their home in the capital Windhoek. Kebbel owned the Off-Road-Centre in Namibia's main city Windhoek which bought and sold 4x4 safari vehicles and accessories needed in the wild. Lion expert Izak Smit said that Namibia's most famous lion expert Dr Philip 'Flip' Stander had named an adult male Kebbel in his honour. He said it was to recognise the large sums of money he paid into looking after lions. .
Daily Mail
31-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Wealthy philanthropist who spend fortunes supporting Namibian desert lions is killed by one after leaving his tent to use the loo
A wealthy philanthropist who spent large sums of money supporting the Namibian desert lions has been killed by one of the predators after leaving his tent to use the toilet. Businessman Bernd Kebbel, 59, was asleep with his wife Conny, 57, on a wildlife expedition at a camp in the north of the country, blissfully unaware that a hungry lioness was stalking him. As the father-of-two climbed down a ladder from the safety of his rooftop tent, mounted on the top of a 4 x 4, the man-eating beast was lying in wait in the dark and attacked him. His desperate screams woke up the rest of the shocked camp who rushed to his rescue in the darkness and bravely chased off the lioness before it could devour its victim. However the Namibian police, investigating the case, said that nothing could be done to save the keen outdoorsman who was killed almost instantly in the savage lightning fast attack. His blood-soaked body was covered up until the authorities could arrive and it is feared that the lioness, named by locals as Charlie, may be hunted and shot dead. The tragedy happened when Mr Kebbel got up in the early hours of Friday morning, unaware that the watching lioness had creeped into the sleeping camp. According to initial reports, Mr Kebbel climbed down a ladder from the tent on the roof and was then attacked and dragged away by the lioness whose jaws tore into his neck and throat. A Namibian lion expert who spoke on the agreement 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.' It is understood that Mr Kebbel and Conny's two children, Dieter and Heidi, both in their late twenties, are now flying home to comfort their devastated mother at their home in the Namibian capital, Windhoek. For many years, Mr Kebbel owned the Off-Road-Centre in Namibia's main city Windhoek which bought and sold 4 x 4 safari vehicles and also sold the accessories required in the wild. 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'.
