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African Lion in Kenya - Man Eater, Testosterone Overridden Lions of Tsavo
For a start, the males lack the typical mane that usually distinguishes this species, a fact often attributed to the dense thorn-filled vegetation of their habitat, which makes long hair a real hindrance to free movement. As an earth watch study recently revealed, they are also the only lions known to move in social groups with just one single male-most normal prides have one or two younger hangers-on as well as the alpha male.
A case of too much Testosterone
Remarkably, scientists now believe there may be a single cause for all these idiosyncrasies; testosterone. When tested, Tsavo Lions showed remarkably elevated levels of the male sex hormone, which could well be responsible for their hair loss and increased territorial behaviour.
140 killed in one year by 2 male Tsavo Lions
This theory would also explain the famed aggression of the Tsavo lions, which earned has them the lions a reputation as the fiercest predators in Africa. The best known story concerns just two lions, who ate their way through 140 railway workers in a single year during the 19th century! The surviving workers soon decided that the lions had to be ghosts or devils.
A series of ever more ingenious traps was devised by the chief engineer, Colonel J.H. Patterson, but each time the lions evaded them, striking unerringly at the week points in the camp defenses.
The ghost and the darkness finally fall
Patterson was finally able to bag the first lion by hiding on a flimsy wooden scaffold baited with the corpse of a donkey. The second man-eater lion was dispatched a short time later, although it took six bullets to bring the massive beast down. Research has shown that the lions had badly damaged teeth, which may have driven them to abandon their normal prey and become man-eaters.
Patterson wrote a best-selling book about the experience, 'the man-eaters of Tsavo', which was later rather freely filmed as the Ghost and the Darkness.
Don't mess around with the African Tsavo Lion
Although there's been nothing to compare to this since, quite a few local people have been attacked over the last decade, so be a little cautious when walking at Chaimu Crater, Mzima Springs or Luggard Falls. Hormonal or not, Tsavo lions are not to be trifled with.
How to go hunting for elusive Tsavo lions
Tsavo African lions are also very elusive and one will need a lot of patience and animal tracking knowledge to be able to see a pride. The larger vegetation of the Tsavo also hinders sighting of the lions. The most important tell tale sighs of a presence of a predator in an area within the park are:
o Excited vultures cycling in the air
o Sudden rush by other scavenging predators like Hyenas
o Sudden warning bird cries while flying off
o In forest areas, a concerted group shrieks and shifting around uncomfortably by monkeys on tree canopies might be an indicator of presence of a leopard.
o Look at lion footmarks besides the dirt roads, sometimes these guys like trudging along the road away from the tall encumbering grass.
o Sudden flipping of gazelle's ears and a sudden straight upright posture.
o Also look beneath the many of the bushes and rocky outcrop areas, lions will most likely hide from the sun underneath bushes or bask in the sun on raised ground.
So look out for these signs and you may be luckier than the next group. Have a lovely Tsavo lion safari experience.
Robert is a travel expert with Landmarksafaris.com. Degreed in tourism management, he has authored more than 1000 articles on Kenya East Africa travel. See the most luxurious park lodges and camps here: http://www.landmarksafaris.com/tours/wildlife.php
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