African Lion – The Legend of the Tsavo Man Eaters

There has been much speculation about the Tsavo man-eaters with its fair share of sensationalism and dramatization, especially in the film based on the story. “The Ghost and the Darkness” was an entertaining movie but definitely a spiced version.

“Tsavo” translate to “Place of Killing” which is called aptly if true. Between Lieutenant Colonel John Patterson, who was building a railway bridge over the Tsavo River (Kenya) during 1898, which extensively hunted a wide variety of wildlife, and the 2 Tsavo lions that allegedly killed and ate more than 130 workers Indians, the name certainly fits. the invoice.

Over a 9-month period, Tsavo lions hunted those who worked on the bridge despite erecting bomas (fences made of thorny tree branches) and burning bonfires at night in an attempt to keep lions away from the bridge. camp. The attacks occurred mainly at night when lions entered a tent and dragged the unfortunate victim away before proceeding to devour him nearby.

Work was halted on the bridge when all the workers fled in fear. Lt. Col. John Patterson, after many attempts, shot the first lion on December 9, 1898, and 3 weeks later the second. The maneless lions were 3 m long from muzzle to tail tip. After the lions were shot and killed, the crew returned to the bridge and completed the project.

Why did these lions become man-eaters? Different theories abound, so let’s take a look at some of them.

Theory 1: The lack of manes in the Tsavo lions proved that something was wrong with them: No, actually Kenya is known for its maneless lions, which may be genetic. One of the theories for the lack of a mane in these lions is the incredible heat during the summer season. A thick mane in this heat could seriously hinder your hunting activity. The main reason lions have a mane is to protect their necks during territory fights with other male lions.

Theory 2: Tsavo lions killed for pleasure: No, unlike the movie where dozens of people die in a single scene, the lion took a victim and went to eat. The main instinct of wild animals is survival. Lions can kill enemies such as hyenas, or after having fought the resident male, it can kill existing cubs in the pride.

Theory 3: The scarcity of food caused the lions to see humans as prey: Possible. During the 1890s, rinderpest (disease) killed millions of buffalo, zebra, gazelle, and other wildlife in sub-Saharan Africa, so food was still limited and workers provided an easy source of food.

Theory 4: An injury of some kind caused the lion to attack humans: Possible. It is said that one of the lions had a broken tooth and an abscess had developed under it. That means it would have been painful for the lion to eat the tough skin and meat of wildlife like buffalo. The second lion, of course, would have been hunting along with the lion that had the abscess.

Theory 5: Unburied bodies or shallow graves attracted the lion to this area: Possible. Railway workers who die may have been buried in a shallow grave, or not buried at all. This would have enticed the lions to forage for an easy meal and then perhaps the living humans. Slave and ivory caravans heading to Zanzibar also frequently crossed the Tsavo River in this area, possibly also dumping the bodies of their dead without burying them.

Lions are opportunistic creatures, just like most predators, and when a combination of factors comes into play, the above scenario is easy to imagine. To this day, where man and predators live in close proximity, there are incidents of lions calling out to humans. In Tanzania, most man-eating lions have been healthy animals living in close proximity to humans and domestic animals such as goats and ducks, which are easy prey for lions. Then add to the mix a local farmer who protects his crops from marauding animals at night while lions are hunting, and incidents are inevitable.

The other theory is that hunting humans may be a “taught behavior” and the problem will persist until all pride is removed. The interesting thing is that the man-eaters will never return to the same place two days in a row. Lions in Tanzania have been known to break through the mud walls of huts or claw their way through the roof to get to a victim and then drag it away.

In closing, I think it’s safe to say that where humans and lions overlap in daily life, incidents of this type are likely to occur.