Man-eating lions of lore prove to be not so bloodthirsty after all
Patterson and his kill
PaThe legendary man-eating lions of Tsavo rumored to have killed more than 130 railroad workers in Africa more than a century ago likely only ate about 35 people, according to new research.
That’s nothing to sneeze at, but the death count - which was the subject of a not-so-great movie starring Val Kilmer - has been exaggerated over the years, according to scientists from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
The scientists analyzed hair and bone from the remains of the lions (which are on display at the Field Museum of Chicago) and determined that one of the lions killed about 24 people and the other took out about 11.
Scientists always thought it was odd that two male lions would work together to take down their prey, but the new research indicates one of them had a severe jaw injury that might have prompted the deadly teamwork.
The two were killed in 1898 by Brittish officer Lt. Col. John Patterson who concocted the 135-person death count. Operators of the Ugandan Railway Company suggested the lions killed about 28 people.
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Kim McGuire joined the Post-Dispatch in August 2007. She has covered the environment for almost 10 years while working at The Denver Post and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. In 2004, McGuire was named a Ted Scripps fellow in environmental journalism at the University of Colorado at Boulder. 
I first read this book as a child in ‘78 but its still fresh in my mind. Col. Patterson’s indomitable spirits in the face of desperation has been a source of inspiration for me all my life. Every child should read this book.
Thanks for sharing all these about lions. I am very much interested in wild life. But i didn’t know that the lions have killed this many people. I would like to know more about it . I am wondering if I can share your article in the bookmarks of society
You know most workers on this railroad would not be concerned about an accurate count.Probably they would have enough sense to shoot first and ask questions later.
The defenders of lions should hang around them instead of dismissing the testimony of those having to work under terrible conditions.Imagine going to the office and worrying about the next minute.