He Left Tent to Use the Bathroom, Met a Tragic Death

A well-known businessman was killed by a lion when he stepped out of his tent at a luxury lodge in Namibia's remote northwest on Friday, police said. Bernd Kebbel, 59, left the shelter near Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp in the Sesfontein area, where he was camping with his wife and friends, to use the toilet early in the morning, per CBS News and People. He was attacked before others could intervene and scare the animal away. By the time help arrived, Kebbel had died from his injuries, officials said. Kebbel, known for his support of wildlife conservation in Namibia, was previously the owner of Off-Road Centre, a company supplying safari vehicle gear.

Police stated they were investigating and would provide a full report. The area is known for its small population of desert-adapted lions—about 60 adults and upward of a dozen cubs as of 2023. Their numbers have reportedly fallen due to drought, a drop in prey, and clashes with local communities. The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism confirmed the lioness involved in the attack was killed on Sunday after officials determined she posed a continued threat, per People. This incident is the second recent fatal lion attack in Africa, following the death of a teenage girl outside Nairobi National Park in Kenya in April. (In that case, the lion reportedly made its way inside a home.)