"Maneating Lions of Tsavo" Really Just Damn Near Kittens
By Karl Klockars in Miscellaneous on Nov 2, 2009 9:20PM
If you've been to the Field Museum in the last 80 years or so, you've surely gazed on the snarling, terror-inducing visage of the Man-eating Lions of Tsavo. Reportedly responsible for 135 human deaths in Kenya while a railroad was being constructed in 1898; British engineer, hunter and probable all-around lady-slayer John Patterson killed the cats and sold the pelts to the Field for $5k. And now, a new study says that these wildcats were really a couple of pussy cats. (Comparatively.)
As reported in the Sun-Times, an article written by Justin Yeakel and published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences finds that it was really probably closer to 35 people that were taken down by the infamous Lions.
Field Museum researcher Bruce Patterson, no relation to John H. Patterson, said the researchers were able to track the presence of a Carbon isotope from the stuffed lions to determine what kind of mammal they were eating..."Just like salmon that eat mercury-tainted fish accumulate the metal in their bodies over time, so the chemical makeup of every animal's diet is reflected in the tissues of their bodies."Nathaniel Dominy, an associate anthropology professor at the University of California at Santa Cruz [and] co-author of the paper...said researchers are "95 percent confident that the lions ate as few as 4 or as many as 75 people total, with the highest probability falling out around 35 people."
Sigh. Nothing is sacred. Next think you know they'll be telling us that Sue was actually more fond of twigs & berries than brontosaur meat. That Bushman the Gorilla was actually more of a Bush-lad. That the Grainger Hall of Gems is populated by nothing but paste. At least we'll always have "The Ghost and the Darkness." Not up for argument? That our little kitten Badger is anything less than pure maneating terror.
No word on whether or not doom-metal band Lions of Tsavo will be changing their name in the wake of the study.