*DEADLY LION ATTACKS IN TANZANIA

[Anonymous]

Deadly Lion Attacks Triple in Tanzania

ARUSHA, Tanzania (Aug.05)
– Hungry lions pursuing wild pigs into human settlements are killing
people three times as often as they did 15 years ago in Tanzania,
according to a survey.

The development has taken a toll on lions as villagers and wildlife
officials hunt down man-eating lions, according to the report released
Wednesday by the science journal Nature.

The human-lion conflict is a product of poverty, growth in human and
lion populations and decline in traditional prey for the big cats,
according research by the University of Minnesota’s Lion Research
Center and Tanzania’s Wildlife Research Institute.

Some Tanzanians have set up homes near wildlife conservation areas and
others farm in corridors used by wild animals to move between protected
areas and water sources, Zakia Meghji, Tanzanian’s minister for tourism
and natural resources, told The Associated Press Thursday.

“Lions that often attack humans are old animals that are unable to stay
in the pride. They end up targeting humans who are a far more easier
prey than wildlife,” Meghji added.

Villagers, who cannot afford to buy fences, often sleep in their fields
to guard their crops against nocturnal pests such as wild pigs. These
farmers fall prey to lions who follow the pigs, according to the report.

Since 1990, lions have killed more than 563 people and injured at least
308, according to report, with fatal attacks increasing markedly over
time.

In the past, lions have typically hunted wildebeest rather than wild
pigs. But as Tanzania’s population has grown, traditional prey numbers
have declined.

Farmers should dig trenches around their fields to keep away the pigs, the researchers advised.

This would also help conserve the number of lions in Tanzania, an East
African nation that is home to the largest population of the big cats
in the world.

Meghji, said, though, that lions were increasing.

“There has been a definite increase in the population of lions because
we have effectively controlled poaching by giving 25 percent of
wildlife revenues to local communities that now see the benefit of
protecting the animals,” Meghji said.

[Author]

August 19, 2005 at 8:19 AM