The Man-Eaters of Tsavo

In the spring of 1898, the British government began a large-scale infrastructure project, building a bridge connecting Uganda to Kilindini Harbor in Kenya. The ambitious project involved building a large railroad bridge across the Tsavo River in the Coast Province of Kenya. Just days after the bridge project began, workmen on the construction crew began disappearing, their remains turning up mangled days later, if they turned up at all. In time, it was discovered that two male maneless lions in the region were stalking, killing, and eating the men working on the infrastructure project.

For more than nine months, the construction in the Tsavo region was plagued by attacks, resulting in anywhere from thirty-five to more than one hundred men killed and eaten by the lions. Eventually, a massive hunt was undertaken and the two animals were ultimately killed, allowing the infrastructure project to be completed unimpeded. Despite being an exceedingly rare occurrence, the attacks at Tsavo became symbolic of the wildness of Africa and the power of the British Empire to tame the region through colonialism.

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References

Kuta, Sarah. 2024. Two Lions Went on a Man-Eating Spree in 1898. Now, DNA Evidence Reveals Their Diets. October 15. Accessed October 15, 2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-lions-went-on-a-man-eating-spree-in-1898-now-dna-evidence-reveals-their-diets-180985269/.

Patterson, Bruce. 2004. The Lions of Tsavo: Exploring the Legacy of Africa's Notorious Man-eaters. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Patterson, James. 2016. "The man-eaters of Tsavo." Sports Afield, January 1.

Patterson, John Henry. 1907. The Man Eaters of Tsavo. London, UK: Macmilan.

Raffaele, Paul. 2010.

Man-Eaters of Tsavo.

January. Accessed April 8, 2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/man-eaters-of-tsavo-11614317/

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

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Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

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