West Mathewson, 69, a well-known South African Conservationist got killed by two lions he reared on Wednesday. According to his family, one of the two white lionesses during a routine morning walk, attacked and mauled him to death in the bush. The episode happened at Lion Tree Top Lodge, a family-owned premises, in northern Limpopo province of South Africa.
As per the reports of BBC, the wildlife conservationist, Mathewson was popular as ‘Uncle West’. He raised the lions since they were cubs.
His wife Gill, 65, was driving closely behind him in another car when lion attacked her husband. According to Marina Botha, family attorney, his wife tried to distract the lions and rescue him but failed.
“We have to realise, West was not as young as he thought he was. We are still not sure what actually happened but there was very rough play,” Mathewson’s daughter-in-law Tehri Fergusson told the Telegraph.
“The family is heartbroken by the loss of their husband, father and grandfather. They find comfort and peace with the fact that he died while living his dream, being in nature and with his lions,” Botha told the Guardian.
According to reports, the two lions escaped from the Lion Tree Top Lodge and killed a man at a neighbouring wildlife called Nagma Lodge in 2017. Then, Mathewson claimed the non-aggressive nature of lions as he used to walk them for three to four hours a day. Mathewson is believed to rescue lions from “canned hunting” where animals are bred for hunting in a closed enclosure.
The lions have to be temporarily moved to an endangered species facility after the incident. the future of animals still depends on the decision of family.