Authorities have reported an incident at a luxury lodge in the remote northwest of Namibia, where a man was killed by a lion.
Police reported that businessman Bernd Kebbel was camping with tourists at a tented resort when the early morning tragedy occurred.
According to a report by the Namibian newspaper, Mr. Kebbel, aged 59, was attacked by the animal while camping with his spouse and friends near Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp in the Sesfontein area.
Environment ministry spokesperson Ndeshipanda Hamunyela told a local news outlet Informate, that the man was attacked when he exited his tent to use the toilet. Other campers scared off the lion, but Kebbel had already passed away, he said.
The Daily Mail reports that Kebbel, a philanthropist, supported wildlife conservation in Namibia and previously owned Off-Road-Centre, a safari vehicle accessories store.
Desert-adapted lions inhabit the remote northwest where mountains meet sand dunes. In 2023, there were about 60 adults and over a dozen cubs. However, their numbers have recently declined due to drought and human conflict.
This incident marks the second fatal lion attack in Africa within a six-week period. In April, a lion was responsible for the death of a 14-year-old girl at a ranch located south of Nairobi National Park, near Kenya’s capital.
