Devoradores de homes de Tsavo

Os devoradores de hombres de Tsavo foi o sobrenome posto a dous leóns devoradores de homes, que entre marzo e decembro de 1898 mataron e devoraron a varias ducias de traballadores da construción do Ferrocarril Kenya-Uganda.

 Posibles causas do seu comportamento depredador 
Diversas teorías sobre a conduta 'devorahomes' foron revisadas por Kerbis Peterhans e Gnoske (2001), e Patterson (2004). As hipóteses son as seguintes: 
 Un gromo de peste bovina en 1898 acabou coas presas habituais dos leóns, forzándoos a buscar fontes alternativas de alimento.
 Os leóns poden terse afeito a inxerir os cadáveres humanos que atopaban á beira do río Tsavo. Convois de escravos con destino a Zanzíbar atravesaban acotío o río.
 Os leóns foron atraídos polas cremacións apresuradas dos traballadores hindús.

Un argumento alternativo indica que o primeiro león tiña un dente seriamente danado, o que tería posto en perigo a súa capacidade para matar as presas naturais. Evidencia disto preséntase nunha serie de documentos revisados por Neiburger e Patterson (2000, 2001, 2002) e o libro de Bruce Patterson (2004).

 Cultura popular 
O libro de Patterson foi a base para os filmes Bwana Devil (1952) e The Ghost and the Darkness, esta última co actor Val Kilmer no papel de Patterson.

 Véxase tamén 
 Bibliografía 
 Neiburger, E.J. & B.D. Patterson. 2000. Man eating lions…a dental link. Journal of the American Association of Forensic Dentists 24(7-9):1-3.) 
 Neiburger, E.J. & B.D. Patterson. 2000. The man-eaters with bad teeth. New York State Dental Journal 66(10):26-29+cover.
 Kerbis Peterhans, J.C. e T.P. Gnoske (2001). The science of 'Man-eating' among lions (Panthera leo) with a reconstruction of the natural history of the "Man-eaters of Tsavo, Journal of East African Natural History 90:1-40.
 Patterson, B.D., E.J. Neiburger & S.M. Kasiki. 2003. Tooth breakage and dental disease as causes of carnivore-human conflicts. Journal of Mammalogy 84(1):190-196.
 Patterson, B.D. 2004. The lions of Tsavo: exploring the legacy of Africa’s notorious man-eaters. McGraw-Hill, Nova York, 231 pp.
 Patterson, B.D., S.M. Kasiki, E. Selempo & R.W. Kays. 2004. Livestock predation by lions (Panthera leo) and other carnivores on ranches neighboring Tsavo National Parks, Kenya. Biological Conservation 119 (4):507-516
 Patterson, B.D. 2005. Living with lions in Tsavo, or notes on managing man-eaters. Travel News & Lifestyle (East Africa) 129 (Feb 2005):28-31.
 Dubach, J, B.D. Patterson, M.B. Briggs, K. Venzke, J. Flammand, P. Stander, L. Scheepers & R. Kays. 2005. Molecular genetic variation across the eastern and southern geographic range of the African lion, Panthera leo. Conservation Genetics 7:15-24.
 Patterson, B.D., R.W. Kays, S.M. Kasiki & V.M. Sebestyen. 2006. Developmental effects of climate on the mane of the lion (Panthera leo). Journal of Mammalogy 87(2):193-200.
 Gnoske, T.P., G. Celesia, e J.C. Kerbis Peterhans, (2006). Dissociation between mane development and sexual maturity in lions (Panthera leo): Solution to the Tsavo Riddle? J of Zoology (Londres) 268(4): 1-10.
 Kerbis Peterhans, J.C., C.M. Kusimba, T.P. Gnoske, S. Andanje & B.D. Patterson (1998). Man-eaters of Tsavo rediscovered after 100 years, an infamous ‘lions den’, rekindles some old questions. Natural History 107(9):12-14.
 Patterson, B.D. 2004. The lions of Tsavo: exploring the legacy of Africa’s notorious man-eaters. McGraw-Hill, Nova York, 231 pp.

 Ligazóns externas 
 Chicago Field Museum - Tsavo Lion Exhibit 
 Kenya wants Tsavo man eaters back
   Kenya wants Tsavo maneaters back
 Man-Eating Lions Not Aberrant, Experts Say - National Geographic News, 4 de xaneiro de 2004
 The Ghost and the Darkness en Internet Movie Database

Categoría:Panterinos