Comment by webmaster:
I split the post below into a new topic as it is purely about lions
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Original by bwanamich
In Tanzania alone more people are killed by lions than the other way round.
Original by Carsten
bwanamich, are you sure what you are saying is correct? Including all poaching and hunting?
And if so, is it because lions enter human territory or humans entering lions territory?
Correct me if I have the wrong picture but I can´t imagine lions sneaking into villages at dawn to attack humans. It is more like lions wandering about following the smell of cattle and when humans all of a sudden go bananas due to their presence, they feel threatened and attack out of self defense.
Carsten,
Lions, in general, are not afraid of humans. They are cautious yes, but not afraid!
And if so, is it because lions enter human territory or humans entering lions territory?
Both of course. Lions do enter into human territory where these overlap.
Correct me if I have the wrong picture but I can´t imagine lions sneaking into villages at dawn to attack humans. It is more like lions wandering about following the smell of cattle and when humans all of a sudden go bananas due to their presence, they feel threatened and attack out of self defense.
Man eaters absolutely do sneak into villages to prey on humans. The first incident of man-killing for a particular lion may be due to circumstances but once a lion understands that man is easy prey (and they learn this veeeery quickly I can assure you) it will kill again. There is a very recetn and well documented man-eater on the Eastern side of the Selous game reserve that accounted for 35 documented killings of humans in a 2 year period before it was finally destroyed. The culprit was a young male in this case. Most of the time man killers are old males that have been chased out of their territories by other males, or injured animals that struggle to catch wild prey for food. There are cases however, where healthy animals in their prime turned man killers. And they can be very determined as recounted in the book by Patterson, Man easters of Tsavo. I have read many an account where lions terrorised a district for months and years preying on people with utter determination. Breaking down through the thatched roof of huts to take their victims whilst they sleep. As long ago as 70 to 80 years ago, well documented reports of serial man eaters in the Southern parts of Tanzania.
Reported cases of humans killed by lions average 300 people a year in Tanzania. These are figures from village registers were incidences like these are recorded. Man eating incidents that are not reported for different reasons are estimated at between 200 to 400 a year. On average there are approx 150 lions shot by tourist hunters a year. Poached numbers are not that high as lions do not have a high value to poachers, besides the fact it is a dangerous animal for them to willingly hunt. Lions killed by human-wildlife conflict are estimated at around 200 to 250 a year.
- Edited by Carsten on 06.12.2006, 10:29 -
- Edited by Carsten on 06.12.2006, 10:36 -