Lodge Owner and Conservationist Killed by His White Lions

West Mathewson, the owner of a lodge in Hoedspruit that was known for his interactions, and conservation work, with lions, died after being mauled by his two white lions today.

“Confirmed reports that lodge owner West Mathewson was killed by his two white lions at Treetop Lodge near Hoedspruit this morning,” according to a tweet by Simon Bloch. “In 2017, the lions escaped from their enclosure and killed a lodge worker who was chopping wood nearby.”

The two lions, Demi and Tanner, were reportedly saved several years ago from a canned-hunting operation near Polokwane. It was reported in the Lowvelder that Mathewson was attacked and died of his injuries.

A fellow lion conservationist said today: “West was a good man trying very hard to do the right thing by educating.”

Dr Louise de Waal, campaign manager for Blood Lions, said: “Our heartfelt condolences go out to West Mathewson’s family and friends. Sadly, this tragic accident is not an isolated case in South Africa’s captive lion breeding industry. Records show that in the last 10 years at least 40 similar incidents have occurred with a quarter leading to fatalities. This only reflects those incidents that have been reported in the media and hence there could be more unreported cases. Lions and other big cats, habituated or not, are not domestic animals, but are predators that don’t lose their wild instinct.”

West Mathewson, 68, was the owner of Lion Treetop Lodge. On the lodge’s Facebook page, a post last year praised him for “dedicating his life to saving endangered species (white lions among others), making a difference in our community, educating the younger generations in how to respect and take care of our wildlife.”

Residents of Hoedspruit said it is a very sad day for the community. Robert Mutara from Wilderness Safaris said: “RIP what a good person he was.”