Vancouver resident ID’d as lion victim

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, arrived in South Africa a week early to sightsee before embarking on a volunteer mission to protect local wildlife. She was attacked by a lioness while on a safari tour.

Chappell worked as a visual effects editor at Scanline VFX, a special effects company with offices in Los Angeles, Germany and Vancouver’s Yaletown.

During her time there, she helped create special effects for two episodes of Emmy Award- winning HBO series Game of Thrones and Hollywood blockbusters Godzilla, Divergent and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

The company declined to comment. Scanline president Stephan Trojansky offered his condolences to Chappell’s family on social media: “Kate was always a bright shining light at our company and we all miss her.”

A memorial service will be held Saturday in Chappell’s hometown of Rye, N. Y. A campaign to raise money for travel costs and funeral expenses already had exceeded its $ 10,000 goal Wednesday.

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 freely around them.

The attack occurred at around 2: 30 p. m. when a lioness approached the passenger side of the vehicle where Chappell was taking photos and attacked through an open window, said Scott Simpson, assistant operations manager at the park.

Witnesses reported the passenger window was down at the time, contrary to park regulations.

“The lady was taking pictures of this lion which then stopped about a metre or two away from the vehicle,” said a statement from Lion Park. “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 guide seated in the driver’s seat tried to fend off the lion and was injured. Park staff then chased the animal away. Paramedics treated Chappell at the scene, but she succumbed to her injuries.