The Story Of 2 Lions Who Hunted A Bridge Crew 127 Years Ago

By: EjazUlHaqBhat

Image: Representational

In the late 19th century, two lions unleashed terror on the workers tasked with the construction of the Kenya-Uganda railway

Image: Pexels/Representational

Known as the "Man-eaters of Tsavo," this pair of predators reportedly killed dozens of workers in just one year

Image: Pexels/Representational

This a tale of survival and horror not only captured the public's imagination, but provided a unique lens to study predator behavior

Image: Pexels/Representational

The first reports of lion attacks began in March 1898, shortly after the arrival of Lieutenant-Colonel John Henry Patterson

Image: Pexels/Representational

He was a British army officer and engineer overseeing the project to connect the interiors of Kenya and Uganda with a railway

Image: Pexels/Representational

Patterson initially doubted reports of two workers abducted by lions but was convinced weeks later when an officer accompanying him, suffered the same fate

Image: Pexels/Representational

He took it upon himself to solve the crisis. He built traps and fortified enclosures but the lions proved remarkably cunning, evading capture time and time again

Image: Pexels/Representational

According to reports, the first lion was finally killed after several nights of waiting, following a close encounter that almost cost Patterson his life

Image: Pexels/Representational

The second lion proved even more elusive, evading traps for three weeks before being shot

Image: Pexels/Representational

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