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

About this book

"Deftly written . . . Pattersons book must now be considered the definitive Tsavo lion study... one of the worlds leading experts on lions as well as an important conservationist."--Publishers Weekly Through field research and forensic evidence a scientist reveals his theory on why two Kenyan lions killed humans and then ate their prey In March 1898 the British began building a bridge over the Tsavo River in East Africa. In nine months two male lions killed and ate nearly 135 workers halting construction. After a long hunt Colonel J. H. Patterson killed the lions which are now on display at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. As codirector of the Tsavo Research Project Bruce Patterson has conducted extensive fieldwork throughout the region on these lions. In The Lions of Tsavo Patterson retells the harrowing story of those bloody nights in Kenya. He presents new forensic evidence on these maneless lions and argues that the man-eating behavior exhibited in 1898 came from the encroachment of human populations on wild habitats. Patterson continues this theory by exploring mans interaction with the changing Kenyan environment creating a complete up-to-date and scientific look behind this intriguing murder mystery.