Man-eating lions dine on ecotourists

[CarZee]

www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/3376461?source=Evening%20Standard

Man-eating lions dine on ecotourists
By John Von Radowitz, Evening Standard
13 February 2003

Ecotourists are helping nature in an unexpected way - by becoming "fast food of the bush" for man-eating lions, it was claimed today.

Reports of lions eating humans are increasing in Africa, and one reason may be more tourists camping on the big cats' doorstep.

Craig Packer, of Minnesota University, told New Scientist magazine: "There have been a fair number of attacks on humans in the last couple of years, including some in South African camps.

"The problem is, there is a growing number of camps putting people in the bush right next to lions."

Separate research casts doubt on the theory that lions get a taste for human flesh only when illness or injury means they cannot hunt faster four-legged prey.

Zoologist Bruce Patterson examined the bones of 23 maneaters in Kenya. Most were healthy young male lions. He believes males expelled from prides meet more humans on their travels. "It may all be too much for a lion to resist," he said.

The most famous attack on humans occurred in 1898 when two lions terrorised railway workers building a bridge over Kenya's Tsavo River, killing and eating nearly 30 people.

30 .. lmao.. the lions had to eat that many cos there's no bloody meat on the lentil-adventurers.. it's like hot wings.. 3 just isn't enough

[Mrs Fish]

Carzee said

30 .. lmao.. the lions had to eat that many cos there's no bloody meat on the lentil-adventurers.. it's like hot wings.. 3 just isn't enough

LOL

[mannginger]

Am I right in thinking that the 30 people killed were actually mainly native people working to build a railway? - as per that Val Kilmer/Michael Douglas film. (Can't remember what it was called)

[Yertis]

mannginger said: Am I right in thinking that the 30 people killed were actually mainly native people working to build a railway? - as per that Val Kilmer/Michael Douglas film. (Can't remember what it was called)

Probably. I've not seen the film but I bet that evil english colonists drove the hapless locals forced to build the railway at gunpoint. That's the usual Hollywood way

[Mrs Fish]

mannginger said: Am I right in thinking that the 30 people killed were actually mainly native people working to build a railway? - as per that Val Kilmer/Michael Douglas film. (Can't remember what it was called)

"The Ghost and the Darkness" starring Michael Douglas and Val Kilmer

[whatever]

CarZee -- do you spend all day trawling for stories about people being (semi-) eaten by wild animals? Wasn't there something about someone's arm being bitten off a week or few ago?

[CarZee]

Nah - just the Evening Standard, who always seem to relish such stories. I admire their editorial line.

You can't beat stories about numpties being eaten by animals..

[Lord Bath]

My lions can not get enough of em here at Longleat. The senior vet has advised me that it helps their bowel movement.

BATH

[mrhatmostly]

:GRIN:
apparently somebody decided to pat the nice kitty, the lion grabbed her hand then ripped her arm off... rivals the stupidity of that lady who wanted to pat the fuzzy polar bear a few years back...

[308gt4]

whatever happened to that young boy in London many years ago that had his arm ripped off by the orangutang ??

Last I heard they tried stitching it back on....