There has been a lot of speculation about the Tsavo Man-Eaters with a fair amount of sensationalism and dramatization, especially in the movie based on the story. “The Ghost and the Darkness” was an entertaining movie but definitely a spiced version.

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

Over a period of 9 months, the Tsavo lions hunted those working on the bridge despite the fact that they erected bomas (fences built from thorny tree branches) and burned bonfires at night in an attempt to keep the lions away from the bridge. camp. The attacks occurred mainly at night when the lions entered a tent and dragged the unfortunate victim before proceeding to devour him nearby.

Work stopped on the bridge as all the workers fled in fear. Lieutenant Colonel John Patterson, after many attempts, shot the first lion on December 9, 1898 and 3 weeks later the second. Maneless lions measured 3 m in length from nose to tip of tail. 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 a mane in the Tsavo lions showed 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 mane in these lions is the incredible heat during the summer season. A thick mane in this heat could seriously hinder their hunting activity. The main reason lions have manes 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 may kill enemies such as hyenas, or after having fought off the resident male, may kill existing cubs in the pride.

Theory 3: Food scarcity caused lions to view 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 sort 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 lured the lion to this area: Possible. The railway workers who die may have been buried in a shallow grave, or not buried at all. This would have lured lions out for an easy meal and then perhaps live humans. Slave and ivory caravans headed for 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, as are 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 of the man-eating lions have been healthy animals that live 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 the lions are out 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 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 force their way through the roof to reach a victim and then drag it away.

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