Man Eaters
One of the more morbid yet often interesting subjects related to the big cats is the occurrence of man eaters. Humans are often fascinated by the strength and hunting prowess of big cats, and man eaters epitomize this in their ability to somehow overcome human intelligence and hunt our species as any other animal. For most of human history, our ancestors have been the hunted rather then the hunters. Man eaters perhaps then play upon our most primal fears; fears which become fascination.
The Man Eating Lions Of Tsavo
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The Tsavo lions mount at the Field museum
The famous man eaters of Tsavo featured in the recent movie "The Ghost and the Darkness" and on display in the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago are perhaps a reminder of our ancestors relationship with predators such as lions. Over a period of nine months, these two lions were responsible for the deaths of over 120 people building a railroad in Tsavo in Kenya in 1896.
Col. J. H. Patterson recounts the incident in a leaflet published by the Field Museum in 1925. The lions seemed to have no fear of humans. Patterson describes how even bullets would not frighten them, and they would penetrate any defense set up by workers until they were finally shot.
When the first lion was shot, it was so large eight men were needed to carry it back to camp. Both lions were about nine feet long (including the tail), and although they have no manes, they are both male. To find out more about the Tsavo lions, visit the Field Museum Website.
Patterson with the first lion. Images and information from "The Man Eating Lions of Tsavo" written by Lieut. col. J H Patterson and published by the Field Museum press.
The Man Eater of Mfuwe
| On September 2, 1998 the Field Museum received the
donation of the largest man eating lion on record. (measuring 5 feet from
floor to ear tips and 10 feet 6 inches in length) The lion was a
maneless male, much like the famous man eaters of Tsavo already on
display at the museum. It was donated by Wayne Hosek of West Hills, CA.
The lion was actually shot in 1991 near the South Laungwa National Park
in Zambia. |
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The man eater of Mfuwe (pronounced muh-FU-way) had killed and ate at least six people during a two month period. Hosek had learned of the lion when his safari guide had informed him it had killed the sixth victim, an elderly woman from a nearby village called Ngozo. Hosek decided to go after the lion when he heard several lionesses had been killed by park rangers, who at the time didn't know it was a maneless male. Hosek, the safari guide, and a couple trackers visited Ngozo. There they learned that a day after killing the elderly woman, the lion had returned to her home and carried off a bag of clothes. The lion had taken them to the banks of the Laungwa River near the village, where it returned at night to play with them. It was here that a blind was set, and after a week of waiting the lion finally shot.
The man eater of Mfuwe is now on permanent display at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. The mount is located in the basement level, separate from the original Man Eaters of Tsavo.