The American tourist mauled to death by a lion in South Africa has been identified as Katherine Chappell, a 29-year-old Vancouver resident.
Family members said Chappell, a New Yorker who moved to B.C. in 2013, was in South Africa on a volunteer mission to protect local wildlife when she was attacked by a lioness while on a safari tour.
“Katie was a brilliant, kind, adventurous and high-spirited woman,” wrote sister Jen Chappell in a Facebook tribute.
“Her energy and passion could not be contained by mere continents or oceans. She was very much loved and shared her love for life with those she met.”
Chappell was a visual effects editor at Scanline VFX, a special effects company with offices in Los Angeles, Germany and Vancouver’s Yaletown. During her time at the company she helped create special effects seen on the Emmy Award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones.
Scanline president Stephan Trojansky offered his condolences to the family on social media: “Kate was always a bright shining light at our company and we all miss her.”
Chappell was killed Monday at Lion Park, an open-air facility north of Johannesburg where tourists can drive their own vehicles through large enclosures while lions roam around them.
Park officials said a lioness approached the vehicle Chappell was in, lunged at her and bit her through the open window. Witnesses reported both the passenger and driver windows were down at the time, contrary to park regulations.
In a statement, the park said Chappell was seated in the passenger seat and was taking photographs of the lions.
“According to witnesses a lioness then began slowly walking towards the vehicle,” read the statement. “The lady was taking pictures of this lion which then stopped about a metre or two away from the vehicle. Witnesses state that the lady still had her window fully open at this point when the lion lunged towards the car. It then bit the lady through the open window.”
A tour operator, who was in the driver’s seat, tried to fend off the lion, and was injured. Camp staff then chased the animal away.
Paramedics treated Chappell on the scene, but she succumbed to her injuries.
The lion will be moved to a solitary pen but will not be put down, park officials said.
Yesterday, Chappell’s tour guide, Pierre Potgieter, denied witness claims he and his charges had driven around the enclosure with their windows open.
“That’s not right … not right at all,” he told the MailOnline. “If that’s what they’re saying, that’s not the case. Not at all.”
Adding, “I’m still in a shock and daze about it.”
Earlier, the U.S. Embassy confirmed that it had received reports of an “incident involving a U.S. citizen” at the Lion Park, which is just outside of Johannesburg, and was ready to offer “any assistance possible.”
The Lion Park is a popular destination for tourists where visitors can also pet lion cubs in smaller pens and have supervised walks through cheetah enclosures.
“Nowhere can you get closer to a pride of lions and other animals and still be completely safe,” says the park’s website.
The park would review its policies, said Simpson, but he believes existing safety measures are “more than adequate,” if visitors follow them. Big signs advise visitors to keep their car windows up and drivers entering the park are also handed a paper with the same warning, he said.
Earlier this year, South African media reported that an Australian tourist was bitten by a lion when he was driving in the park with his windows open. In April, a teenager was attacked by a cheetah when he tried to cut through the park on his bicycle, reported local outlet News24.
