Authorities confirmed on Saturday that Namibian businessman and philanthropist Bernd Kebbel, known for his contributions to wildlife conservation, was killed by a lioness while on safari in the remote Kunene Region.
According to Namibian Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Kebbel, 59, was camping with his wife, Conny, 57, near the Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp in the Sesfontein region, about 700 kilometres north of the capital Windhoek, when the incident occurred on May 31.
Kebbel was reportedly attacked by a lioness after he emerged from his rooftop tent at night and was fatally bitten in the neck. His wife was asleep at the time and a group of friends were at the campsite.
Namibian Tourism ministry spokesman Ndeshipanda Hamunyela confirmed Kebbel’s death, while police spokesman Immanuel Iiduwa said an official investigation had been launched into the incident, which was classified as a human-wildlife conflict.
“The campmates tried to remove the lioness but their efforts were too late to prevent fatal injuries,” Iiduwa said.
Kebbel was widely known for her support of conservation efforts, particularly those focused on protecting Namibia’s endangered desert-adapted lions. The incident has revived debate about human-wildlife interactions in Namibia’s wildlife areas and the safety of visitors in areas home to the large predators, according to some media reports.