Renowned conservationist, West Mathewson was killed by the lions he reared, while he took them for a walk on Thursday. His wife, Gill was driving behind him when one of the lionesses got aggressive and attacked him. She tried to distract him, however, her efforts were in vain.

“She tried her best to rescue her husband, but was unable to do so,” family attorney Marina Botha said in a statement.

Mathewson had rescued the lionesses whom he named Demi and Tanner, from a canned hunting farm where the animals are bred to hunt and had kept them at his property at the Lion Tree Top Lodge in Hoedspruit, BBC reported.

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He reportedly died from his injuries on the premises. The 68-year-old is said to have been affectionately known as “Uncle West” by locals. In an earlier incident in 2017, it had got aggressive in an incident and had killed a man in the neighbourhood.

The lionesses were tranquilised and were taken to an endangered species center. The family has assured that they would be sent to the best environment available to them.

“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,” the statement read.