Lion attacks on the rise - Bush pigs lure lions to homesteads where they attack farmers. - Roxanne Khamsi
Lions are killing people in Tanzania three times as often as they did 15 years ago, according to a survey. The authors of the study say that farmers should clear their land of bush pigs, an attractive prey to lions, to reduce the number of clashes between lions and local people.

Since 1990, lions have killed more than 563 Tanzanians and injured at least 308, the researchers report in Nature1, with fatal attacks increasing markedly over time.

The problem seems to be the rising human population. In the past, lions have typically hunted wildebeast rather than bush pigs. But as Tanzanian communities have grown, the number of usual prey has diminished.

Villagers have a tendency to sleep in their fields to guard their crops against nocturnal pests such as bush pigs. These farmers cannot afford to buy fences, explains lead author Craig Packer of the University of Minnesota in St Paul.

So the pigs get in to the crops, the lions follow the pigs into the farms, and then the villagers fall prey to the lions. Both farmers and their families are killed: 18% of victims in the study period were younger than 10 years old.

Retaliation

The intensified attacks have also taken a toll on the lions, thanks to people hunting the killers in retaliation. Experts fear lion populations are now shrinking rapidly.

"They want to kill the problem animals, but it's difficult to know who the problem animals are, so sometimes the response is indiscriminate," Packer says. "The number of lions being killed by people has probably increased by ten fold over the past decade." There are roughly 100,000 lions in Africa, and at least a quarter of these live in Tanzania, he estimates.

Since 1990, lions have killed more than 563 Tanzanians and injured at least 308, the researchers report in Nature, with fatal attacks increasing markedly over time.

End of article

Yes, folks, it’s true; increased lion attacks are a clear indication that lion populations are shrinking rapidly.
S.

certainly does give creedence to the term over educated idiots

All it means is the people need to start eating Bush pigs, and leave the wildebiest alone, for the lions. When you move into the lion's home,eat his prey, and place yourslef in his hunting area at night, you stand a good chance of getting bit! Thier take is to kill the lions, who are simply being what God intended. lions! If the gov wants more bush pigs taken out put them on the license of every hunter, with no trophy fee, and require all hunters to take three!

The lion population may be decreasing, but then there are only few lion in any zoo, but if you sleep in his pen you gonna git bit! Whot ya'll thank?

Hmmmmm, yep kill all the bush pigs then the lions have nothing to eat!! well er a except humans...

Same ole story, man against beast, it will never change and it also depends on whos being eaten as to which side you pick..

If it was your family I suspect the Lions would get shot, would they not...

No matter what science and managment can or cannot do, the survival of the fitest will always be with us...