In Kenya during 1898, British Lt Col John Patterson was running the construction of a railway bridge over the Tsavo River using Indian labourers and this is where the legend was born.

“Tsavo” means “Place of Slaughter” which is exactly what happened over a period of 9 months during which 2 male lions attacked and killed over 130 Indian workers. The lions would usually attack under the cover of darkness, drag the unfortunate victim out of his tent and devour him nearby. This was despite the erecting of thorn fences in an attempt to keep the lions out, as well as burning fires at night.

The fact that these lions were maneless added to the Indians superstitions, and with the death count mounting, work ground to a halt on the project when the Indian workers fled in fear. Col Patterson, after many attempts and missed shots, killed the first lion on 9 Dec 1898, and the second three weeks later. The lions measured approx 3 metres from the tip of the tail to nose.

There has been much speculation about the Tsavo man-eaters of Tsavo including a dramatized movie based on the legend called “The Ghost and the Darkenss”.

Why did these lions become man-eaters?  Lets have a look at some of the theories.

Theory 1: The lack of manes on the Tsavo lions proved there was something wrong with them
Kenya is actually well known for its’ maneless lions, which may be due to genetic reasons. One of the theories for the lack of manes in these lions is the intense heat during the summer season. Thick manes in this heat could hinder hunting activity. The primary reason lions have manes is to protect their necks during fierce fighting for territory with other male lions.

Theory 2: The Tsavo lions killed for pleasure
Unlike the movie where scores of people were killed in one scene, the lion would pull a victim out of tent, drag him away and then eat him. A wild animals’ prime instinct is for survival, which means food and water. Lions may kill enemies such as hyena, or having fought off the prides’ resident male he may kill the existing cubs in the pride but lions do not kill for pleasure.

Theory 3: Scarcity of food caused the lions to turn to humans as prey
Rinderpest (a disease) killed millions of buffalo, zebra, gazelle and other wildlife in Sub Saharan Africa during the 1890’s, so food for the lions was still limited as the wildlife populations struggled to increase, and the workers would have been seen as an alternative  source of food that was easy to prey on.

Theory 4: A debilitating injury of sort caused the lion to attack humans
Apparently an xray of one of the lions skulls showed a broken molar, and an abscess that had developed underneath the tooth. That means it would have been painful for the lion to eat, especially biting down into the tough hide of buffalo.

Theory 5: Shallow graves and unburied bodies  attracted the lions to this area
Railroad workers who died while building the bridge may have been shoddily buried in a shallow grave, or not at all. This could have attracted the lions to scavenge for an easy meal on the bodies, and then to target live humans. Another possibility is the slave and ivory caravans who frequently crossed the Tsavo River in this area, heading to Zanzibar also dumping the bodies of their dead here without burying them.

Lions are opportunistic creatures and when a certain combination of factors come into play, the above scenario is relatively easy to imagine. Today still there are incidents where lions kills humans where man and beast live in close proximity.

In Tanzania, studies show that most of the man eating lions have been healthy animals living in close proximity to man. Add domestic animals such as goats and ducks into the picture, and lions are lured closer by the easy prey. Local farmers also tend to guards their crops from marauding animals at night, and as this is when lion mainly hunt incidents are going to be inevitable.

Another interesting theory is that hunting humans can be a “taught behavior” and that the problem persists until the entire pride is eliminated.  Research also shows that man eaters will never return to the same place two days in a row.  Lions have been known to break through the thatched roof or mud walls of huts to get to a victim, and then drag them away.

In closing, incidents between wild animals and man will persist when they live in close proximity.

View our selection of African Lion Safaris

2008 Copyright www.wildafricasafarico.com African Safari Wildlife