Customer Reviews

The Lions of Tsavo : Exploring the Legacy of Africa's Notorious Man-Eaters

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Bruce Patterson's brilliant new book shines a much-needed scientific light on the lions of Tsavo. First made infamous by Colonel John Patterson (no relation to the author of this book), after he wrote "The Man-eaters of Tsavo" almost a century ago, and then re-introduced to modern audiences when the movie "The Ghost and the Darkness" came out in 1996, the lions of the barren East African region have been much speculated on. Their unusual physical characteristics and habits, including a reputed inclination to prey on men with greater frequency than other lions, have added to the interest about them.

Unfortunately, and somewhat surprisingly, little is known about the Tsavo lions. Are they a separate species from the lions found elsewhere in Africa or a subspecies? How does their social behavior differ from that of other lions? Why are the male lions of Tsavo typically maneless? Was the trait selected by evolution for some reason or determined by the tough physical environment of Tsavo?

Bruce Patterson, a naturalist with extensive experience studying these beasts, informs the debate on them to such a degree that even where he does not provide definitive answers to these questions about the lions - and he sometimes does -- he provides the definitive framework for understanding them. He approaches the creature from every angle. He has studied them in the field. He has worked on them in the laboratory. And he has extensively read both the scientific and popular literature on the lions.

Despite his impressive scholarship, Patterson is not afraid to tell the reader when he doesn't know something. He often writes that some area on the lions needs further study. I also appreciated how he took seriously what any source (white hunters, local tribesmen, etc.) had to say about the lions. Patterson does not snobbishly discount what a source says just because it was not written by a fellow scientist. He makes note of it in his ledger and considers it in the context of other information on the subject.

This is a delightful book. If you have any interest in lions in particular or big cats in general, you will find it fascinating and informative.

For all of us with a passion for the big African cats, this book is a must read. The author, B.D.Patterson, combines his years of field research with an obvious love of the African continent to produce a scientific yet readable and ultimately fascinating review of lion behavior, biology, and evolution.

Starting with an historical review of `man-eater lion' stories Dr. Patterson clarifies facts and debunks myths. He provides a comprehensive review of related factors - from dentition to drought - from game scarcity to human burial practices. No stone is left unturned as he investigates aggressive behavior where the territories of human and lion overlap (and there is aggressive behavior on both sides of this equation!!). He continues his analysis with a succinct review of the latest biological and evolutionary information of the Panthera genus, covering the latest findings in DNA studies, historical range analysis, behavioral studies, and much more. Finally, he concludes the book with a review of conservation efforts in the Tsavo region and plea for continued assistance for this increasingly endangered species.

Readers who are tired of the dumbed-down approach many authors follow in order to cater to the broadest audience possible will be presently surprised by this book. It is thoughtful and intelligent throughout - readable and enjoyable - give it a try.

This book is very thorough in its investigation of the Tsavo lions and man-eating lions in general, as can be observed from the table of contents:

Chapter 1 The Reign of Terror: The Lions of the Tsavo Attack
Chapter 2 The Terror Continues: Man Eating Lions Today
Chapter 3 Killing Behavior and Man Eating Habits
Chapter 4 Why Do Lions Kills People
Chapter 5 Lion Biology: Evolution and Geographic Distribution
Chapter 6 Hunting and Social Behavior
Chapter 7 The Lion's Mane: Geographic and Individual Variation
Chapter 8 Why the Lions of Tsavo are Maneless
Chapter 9 Conservation and Tsavo National Parks

It takes a subject that has been imbued with a sense of mystery and horror and lays it out in very scientific terms. However, it tends to read like a collection of academic papers. If you are looking for a nice read, I'd recommend you choose another book. However, if you truly want to learn about the lions of Tsavo, this book is invaluable.

It is not the complete history of the how Col. Patterson killed the Tsavo Lions, but a very good and more recent report of a sciencific investigation trying to explain those animal's behavior and the causes that lead them to kill so many people.
I found it very interesting.

This is the first book I read when I decided to try reading books as a hobby. I read it 12 years ago and I have read books pretty much everyday ever since. It is a great book! Written by the man who was actually there hunting the animals as they terrorized the railway work camps. This first hand account is full of everything you could ask for in a story on this subject. The second half of the book is about his hunting expeditions and the progress of the railroad after the lion incidents. Though I'm not a big fan of hunting the stories are still interesting and it's a good look into Africa back in the days when people didn't know much about it still. This book made me love reading. Books have become a great source of entertainment and education for me thanks to this book. Would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes non-fiction, nature, adventure, or exploration.

While it is more like a text book, I found it was well written and very informative. I have read several books by Jim Corbett and Ken Anderson and find that Patterson goes into greater depth of man-eating cats. If you enjoy Corbett, Anderson, and other man-eater stories this book is a must for you as it answers a lot of "why" questions!

With it being over a century and the tale of the 'Man-Eaters of Tsavo' still excites us. That was proven with the 1996 film based on the notorious killers . But the story left us asking questions. Why did the Tsavo man-eaters kill 135 people? Why did they turn to human prey? What turns any lion or lions to kill man and what are Tsavo's maneless lions? Why are they maneless and are they still hungry for human flesh? I believe that the author Dr. Bruce D. Patterson has done a great job in trying to answer these questions with his book. "The Lions of Tsavo: Exploring the Legacy of Africa's Notorious Man-Eaters".

The author does an excellent job of making the subject matter readable for the layman. This is based on a series of scientific studies which are often laborius reading for most but it is presented in an easily understood form.

No definite conclusions are drawn but anyone with an interest in the big cats will find this a valuable source of information.

If you have an interest for lions and man-eating behaviour , this book is for you . Prof. Patterson speak about the famous man-eaters lions of the Tsavo railroad , the causes of man-eating in lions , the lion biology etc.

This is one of the most intriguing books, that a Lion over like me, and probably anyone else as well will enjoy! I rate this book a 20 out of 10, and a long adventure that you will enjoy.