The Lions of Tsavo: Exploring the Legacy of Africa's Notorious Man-Eaters

Hardcover, 260 Pages. In 1898 the British began building a bridge over the Tsavo River in Africa; in nine months, two lions killed 135 workers. Bruce Patterson has conducted extensive fieldwork on these lions and presents new evidence on the killings and also explores man's interaction with the Kenyan environment, creating a comprehensive portrait of the lions of Tsavo.The story of the Tsavo man-eaters has captivated the public’s imagination for more than a century while giving rise to considerable scientific debate. What compelled those lions to prey on human beings—was it a matter of necessity, self-defense, or simply one of opportunity? Is there something about maneless lions that makes them especially prone to becoming man-eaters, or is human predation by lions more common than we have been led to believe? What can the events of 1898 teach us about the extraordinary Tsavo lions and about lions in general? In an effort to answer these questions, Bruce Patterson, principal investiga