Keep Up With Global Black News

Sign up to our newsletter to get the latest updates and events from the leading Afro-Diaspora publisher straight to your inbox.

BY Dollita Okine, 5:50pm June 03, 2025,

Namibian businessman fatally mauled by lion while using the toilet on safari trip

by Dollita Okine, 5:50pm June 03, 2025,
Image of a lioness. Photo: Greg Willis/wikimedia commons

Popular Namibian businessman, philanthropist, and nature enthusiast Bernd Kebbel was tragically killed by a lioness in the Kunene Region of northwest Namibia on the morning of Friday, May 30. He was 59 years old.

His death has shocked both the business and environmental communities. The incident occurred while Kebbel was on a safari excursion, camping with his wife and a group of friends near the Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp in the Sesfontein area, according to the Namibian. The group had set up camp along the Hoanib River, a remote and rugged area known for its desert-adapted wildlife, including a rare population of desert lions.

Ndeshipanda Hamunyela, spokesperson for Namibia’s Ministry of Environment Forestry and Tourism, told Informante “The victim had stepped out of his tent to use the toilet on Friday morning, May 30, when he was attacked by the lioness.”

READ ALSO: Coyote strangled to death by North Carolina man after it lunges at him

Early reports also suggest that he may have been descending from the rooftop of his tent when the attack occurred.

Other campers present at the scene managed to scare off the lioness, but by then, Kebbel had already succumbed to his injuries, Hamunyela said.

Namibian police spokesperson Inspector Immanuel Iiduwa confirmed that a case of human-wildlife conflict had been opened and that police were attending the scene. 

“A full report will be submitted in due course,” added another spokesperson, Elifas Kuwinga.

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism later confirmed that the lioness involved in the attack was euthanized on June 1, after authorities determined that she posed a continued threat to the local community and tourists.

Kebbel, a former owner of the Offroad Centre (also referred to as the Outdoor Centre), was widely recognized in the country’s conservation and off-roading circles. He was known for selling safari vehicle accessories and had long supported wildlife conservation initiatives. 

READ ALSO:  Mom grieves as 3-year-old daughter is mauled by family dogs while visiting dad for Christmas

The rare and endangered group of desert-adapted lions roam Namibia’s northwest where sand dunes and mountains converge, as reported by CBS. In 2023, there were roughly 60 adult lions and more than a dozen cubs. Long-term droughts, however, have decreased their populations recently by reducing the amount of prey available and increasing human-wildlife conflict.

In Namibia, there is increasing conflict between rural livelihoods and conservation. To fight starvation in communities hit by drought, the government approved the culling of hundreds of animals, including elephants, in August 2023.

Meanwhile, authorities continue to investigate the tragic incident involving Kebbel. 

This is at least the second deadly lion assault in Africa in recent weeks. In April, a 14-year-old girl was killed by a lion in Nairobi National Park in Kenya,  according to a CNN report.

The animal entered a residential compound near Nairobi National Park by climbing over an improvised fence, according to KWS Senior Corporate Communications Manager Paul Udoto.

The lioness then broke into a house and attacked the girl, who was there with another teenager. “There is no evidence of provocation from the victims,” Udoto informed reporters.

READ ALSO: Nigeria: Zookeeper fatally mauled by lion under his care for nearly a decade

Last Edited by:Mildred Europa Taylor Updated: June 3, 2025

Conversations

Close

Must Read

Connect with us

Join our Mailing List to Receive Updates

Face2face Africa | Afrobeatz+ | BlackStars

Keep Up With Global Black News and Events

Sign up to our newsletter to get the latest updates and events from the leading Afro-Diaspora publisher straight to your inbox, plus our curated weekly brief with top stories across our platforms.