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

“Tsavo” translates into “Place of the slaughter” which is aptly named if it is true. Between Lt. Col. John Patterson, who was building a railway bridge over the Tsavo River (Kenya) during 1898, who hunted a wide variety of wildlife extensively, and the 2 Tsavo lions that allegedly killed and ate more than 130 workers Indians, the name certainly fits the bill.

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

Work was stopped on the bridge when 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. The maneless lions were 3 m long 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 manes 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 manes in these lions is the incredible heat during the summer season. A thick mane in this heat could seriously hamper your hunting activity. The main reason lions have a mane is to protect their necks during fighting for territory with other male lions.

Theory 2: Tsavo lions killed for pleasure: No, unlike the movie where dozens of people were killed in one scene, the lion would take a victim and go to eat. The primary instinct of wild animals is survival. The lions can kill enemies like the hyena, or having fought the resident male, they can kill the existing cubs in the pride.

Theory 3: Food shortages 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: A wound of some kind caused the lion to attack humans: Possible. One of the lions is said to have had a broken molar 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 wild animals 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. Railroad workers who die may have been buried in a shallow grave, or not at all. This would have attracted lions to search for an easy meal and then perhaps target live humans. The 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, 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 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 protecting his crops from the animals that roam at night while the lions are hunting, and incidents are inevitable.

The other theory is that hunting humans can be a “taught behavior” and the problem will persist until all pride is removed. The interesting thing is, man-eaters will never go back to the same place two days in a row. Lions in Tanzania have been known to break through the mud walls of huts or smash their way through the roof to reach a victim and then carry her away.

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