'Lion Man' who raised cubs and treated them as 'children' made fatal mistake

A 'Lion Man' who treated 'like his own children' made one fatal mistake seconds before he was brutally mauled to death.

Leon van Biljon, 70, believed he had a special bond with the two male , Rambo and Nakita, and a lioness named Katryn, to the point of even sleeping in their enclosure when they were young. However, a fatal mistake years later would lead to his tragic end, serving as a chilling reminder that wild animals should not be kept as .

The incident unfolded in 2019 at Leon's Mahala View Lion Game Lodge in Hammanskraal, just north of Pretoria in .

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While fixing a fence in the lions' territory, he underestimated the danger and turned his back on the pride. In an instant, one of the lions attacked him from behind, biting his neck. Despite the quick response of emergency services they were unable to immediately help Leon, who they found motionless, covered in blood and being circled by lions. It was only after the lions were shot that medics could reach him, but he had already succumbed to his injuries, reports .

A source from the lodge revealed the chilling details at the time, saying: "Leon went in to fix the fence but knows the lions well and turned his back as he was fixing the fence and one came from behind and took his neck."

After his death, Leon's family said he was "at peace" and "left the Earth because of his children", according to Pretoria News. Leonette van Wyk, his daughter, spoke of her father's dedication to his work.

She told reporters: "We built that farm from nothing, grew up there. My dad raised the lions. He would sleep with them. He taught educational groups about lions and the relationship between God and these animals for school groups," According to the website of Mahala View, the game lodge where the incident occurred, Leon offered lion lectures, feedings and game drives for guests.

It was reported that he had planned to retire and sell the game lodge before tragedy struck. The story recently resurfaced on YouTube, prompting a flurry of comments.

One person wrote: "No matter how long you 'train' them, no matter how you try to tame them, all it takes it just one switch and the full flow of wild animals instincts will kick in and often to a fatal end." Another added: "Guess the lesson is no matter which wild animal you bond and or raised they let their nature takeover." A different person commented: "It can't be overstated how deep instinct runs. Even domesticated pets will attack their owners under the "right" circumstances."