Lion shot dead after taking man's life

Friends of well-known businessman and nature lover Bernd Kebbel (59), who generously supported lion research, say it is both ironic and tragic that a desert-adapted lioness ended his life early on Friday morning.Despite public calls to spare her, the lioness was put down yesterday by officials from the environment ministry.Kebbel’s commitment to desert-adapted predators was honoured when a black-maned lion was named after him. However, &#039;Kebbel&#039; was shot dead in 2017 by a trophy hunter due to human-wildlife conflict.Kebbel, the former owner of the Off-Road Centre, supported the Desert Lion Conservation Organisation run by renowned lion researcher Dr Philip Stander, as well as research on desert-adapted elephants.The tragic incident occurred early Friday morning when Kebbel, together with his wife, Conny, and a group of family and friends, were camping in the Hoanib River, four kilometres from Wilderness’ Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp near Sesfontein.He had reportedly climbed down from his vehicle’s rooftop tent early in the morning when he was attacked by a lioness named Charlie, who reportedly pulled him off the car&#039;s ladder and bit him on the head and neck.“His wife screamed for help, and the campers came to assist when the lion was on top of him and managed to drive the lion away, but it was too late. The man succumbed to his injuries at the scene,” police head of crime investigations in the Kunene region, Deputy Commissioner Eric Clay, told Network Media Hub (NMH).“It was very traumatic for his wife and the others,” said Clay, who visited the scene together with officials from the environment ministry. Wilderness flew Conny and Kebbel’s sister, Uta Ahrens, back to Windhoek, while friends drove their vehicles back. The Kebbel couple had a son, Dieter, and a daughter, Heidi.Tracked and put down According to Namibian Police spokesperson Inspector Immanuel Iiduwa, a case of human-wildlife conflict was opened in the aftermath of the incident. Moreover, despite a petition with more than 300 signatures urging that the lioness Charlie not be euthanised following the incident, she was shot dead yesterday morning.Conservation officers reportedly struggled to locate her because she had hidden, and the signal from her satellite collar was lost.Campers reportedly reported lion attacks in the same area early yesterday morning.The Namibian Chamber of Environment (NCE) this weekend issued a warning about the dangers of camping in the north-west.“This is not the first time lions have attacked campers. The recent rains will make the lions more desperate than usual for prey, as their natural prey has dispersed and become harder to hunt," NCE explained.The uniqueness of the Kunene region lies precisely in the fact that it is not a wildlife park where rules and regulations prevent the public from camping in nature.Community grieves Messages of sympathy have poured in from far and wide. Namibian actress and host of Op pad met my Potjie, Joalette de Villers, wrote on social media: “Condolences to the family and friends. In a way, it is bittersweet. He left this life with something he was passionate about protecting. And I in no way diminish the trauma of this event. Sorry for your loss.”The travel and tourism company Paparazzi Namib Trails & Safaris said Kebbel was a man whose love for the Namibian landscape and its nature was deeply rooted.“Kebbel was more than just a prominent figure in tourism and off-road vehicle circles. He was also a dedicated supporter of desert lion research and shared his passion for Africa’s untamed wilderness with many.“May his legacy live on in the tracks he left in the sands of our beloved country. Namibia will remember him.”

Lion shot dead after taking man's life

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-04

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Lion shot dead after taking man's life

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-04

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