Aftermath of lion attack: Tosco warns against unregulated tourism

The conservation organisation Tourism Supporting Conservation (Tosco) has said that the survival of the desert-adapted lion population depends on a delicate balance between wildlife, communities and tourism. This comes after two incidents involving Charlie, a desert-adapted lioness.Charlie was responsible for the death of well-known businessman Bernd Kebbel (59) on the morning of Friday, 30 May, and attacked a group of South African tourists in the same area along the Hoanib River two days later. Fortunately, no one was injured in the second incident.Following the fatal incident, the environment and tourism ministry declared Charlie a problem animal, and renowned lion researcher Dr Philip Stander of the Desert Lion Conservation Trust darted and euthanised her on the morning of Sunday, 1 June.In doing so, Stander lost a beloved lioness and, in Kebbel, a friend and one of the trust’s most dedicated supporters.“This decision follows ongoing monitoring by ministry staff, which revealed that the animal had become habituated [to humans] and posed a continued threat to both community members and tourists,” the ministry said in a statement.Delicate balance Tosco noted that, tragically, a conservationist lost his life and an iconic lioness – descended from the legendary 'Vanishing Kings' pride – was killed.“This is a tragedy for the family involved, for our desert-adapted lions, for those who work tirelessly to protect them, and for Namibia’s tourism legacy,” the organisation stated. It added: “The desert-adapted lion population symbolises both the beauty and the challenges of conservation in this region.“Their survival in one of the world’s harshest environments is extraordinary, but it relies on a delicate balance between wildlife, communities and tourism,” Tosco noted. “This tragedy is a painful reminder of how fragile that balance truly is. Although this particular [Kebbel] family had ties to conservation, we are seeing a broader trend of unregulated tourism – including wild camping – which puts both people and wildlife at risk,” Tosco warned.Tosco cautioned that lions can become more unpredictable and take greater risks during times of prey scarcity.“We urge travellers to stay at designated campsites, preferably those managed by local communities.”Tosco explained that these campsites are still situated in the wilderness, but they also offer communities a long-term incentive to protect lions.Second attackChris Sandmann (48) of Namvic Tours and Safaris, a tour guide with 25 years of experience, was leading the second group of campers who were attacked by Charlie at around 03:15 on Sunday, 1 June.He told this publication that they had set up camp in the Hoanib River the previous day. During a game drive at President’s Waterhole, they encountered three conservationists who informed the group that a lion attack had taken place.“They told us to be careful – a man had been attacked, seriously injured, and taken to Windhoek. I didn’t even know it was Bernd Kebbel.“We asked where exactly it had happened, but they wouldn’t say. I told them I’m always extremely cautious. We set up camp about 10 km from where I think it happened,” Sandmann said.He was the one who, in the early morning hours, knocked on the door of brown hyena researcher Emsie Verwey at the Wilderness Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp, seeking help for his South African clients who had endured a nightmare night. Loss of game By dawn, the campers spotted the lioness just metres from their camp, accompanied by a younger male lion, OB.According to Sandmann, he had noticed for quite some time that both Charlie and OB were extremely thin.“Charlie was skinny and hungry. There’s no more game for the lions to hunt. Around 15 to 20 years ago, you would see thousands of animals in this area. During our entire safari, we only saw two oryx and one giraffe," he said. “With the 'shoot and sell' system for game, we came across refrigerated trucks carrying 40 to 50 mountain zebra carcasses,” Sandmann added. Asked whether over-tourism might be a problem in the area, with people and tourists passing through daily, Sandmann replied:“No, if it weren’t for tourism, the lions would have long since been shot out or poisoned. There are many Namibian tour operators travelling through the area, bringing in income. Tourism is crucial for the lions’ survival.”Kebbel’s memorial service will take place on Saturday at 15:00 at Out of Nature, south of Windhoek. The family has requested that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Desert Lion Conservation Trust.– francoise@nmh.com.na

Aftermath of lion attack: Tosco warns against unregulated tourism

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Namibian Sun 2026-02-03

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Aftermath of lion attack: Tosco warns against unregulated tourism

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Namibian Sun 2026-02-03

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