lion attack tourist tanzania

Horrifying moment Brit wildlife park owner is savaged and dragged into enclosure by lion

WARNING - DISTRESSING CONTENT Onlookers were left petrified by a huge lion when the savage creature dragged British Mike Hodge into its territory and hurtled towards him leaving him with severe injuries

• 22:17, 4 May 2022

This is the horrifying moment a British safari park owner is savaged and dragged away by a lion into its enclosure.

The distressing footage of British man Mike Hodge being attacked by the lion has remerged online after the incident at Makarele Predator Centre in South Africa in 2018.

Horrified onlookers were left screaming in terror as Mr Hodge was savagely thrown around and dragged around like a rag doll by the ferocious lion.

Mike had entered the cage while another park keeper had come forward with a small bucket in his hand and looked to be coaxing the lion towards the edge.

However, the lion then spots the man in its territory and launches towards him leaving him terrified about what's to happen next.

In the footage, Mr Hodge is seeing running towards a door of the enclosure.

But the huge male lion pounces and knocks him to the ground.

Mike is on the floor, not moving, and onlookers cry for help.

In the scary footage, gun shots can be seen being fired into the air to distract the lion.

However, a ranger was forced to shoot dead the lion after he refused to move away from the 72-year-old following warning shots.

Amazingly, Mike survived the traumatic attack after being airlifted by air ambulance for life saving surgery.

In the hospital photo it showed Mike smiling in his hospital bed with a bandage on his neck and a breathing tube after the terrifying ordeal.

His injuries were a severe bite and claw wounds to his neck and back and a broken jaw in the 2018 attack.

MORE ON Lions Animals South Africa

Get email updates with the day's biggest stories.

Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

UK Edition Change

• UK Politics
• News Videos
• Paris 2024 Olympics
• Rugby Union
• Sport Videos
• John Rentoul
• Mary Dejevsky
• Andrew Grice
• Sean O’Grady
• Photography
• Theatre & Dance
• Culture Videos
• Fitness & Wellbeing
• Food & Drink
• Health & Families
• Royal Family
• Electric Vehicles
• Car Insurance Deals
• Lifestyle Videos
• Hotel Reviews
• News & Advice
• Simon Calder
• Australia & New Zealand
• South America
• C. America & Caribbean
• Middle East
• Politics Explained
• News Analysis
• Today’s Edition
• Home & Garden
• Broadband deals
• Fashion & Beauty
• Travel & Outdoors
• Sports & Fitness
• Climate 100
• Sustainable Living
• Climate Videos
• Solar Panels
• Behind The Headlines
• On The Ground
• Decomplicated
• You Ask The Questions
• Binge Watch
• Travel Smart
• Watch on your TV
• Crosswords & Puzzles
• Most Commented
• Newsletters
• Ask Me Anything
• Virtual Events
• Wine Offers
• Betting Sites

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in

Three children killed by lions in African wildlife reserve

The attack took place near tanzania’s ngorongoro wildlife reserve, article bookmarked.

Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails, thanks for signing up to the breaking news email.

Three young children have been killed by lions near Tanzania ’s Ngorongoro wildlife reserve, local police have said.

The attack took place on Monday when the children, aged between nine and 11, went into a forest to search for lost cattle, Arusha police chief Justine Masejo told AFP.

“That is when the lions attacked and killed three children while injuring one,” he said.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a multiple land use area, where protected wildlife wanders freely among communities like the Maasai, who are permitted to live within national parks in order to feed their cattle.

Lion attacks on people and cattle are not uncommon in Tanzania; last year, 36 Serengeti lions were relocated after a slew of attacks in the surrounding communities.

Mr Masejo added: “I would like to urge the nomadic communities around the reserved areas to take precautions against fierce animals especially when they task their children to take care of the livestock. That will help to protect the children and their families.”

The three victims have been named as Ndoskoy Sangau, Sangau Metui and Sangau Kadonyo, while a fourth child, Kiyambwa Namuyata, escaped the incident with multiple injuries, according to the Citizen.

Lobulu Meeje, a head teacher from Ngoile primary school, told the newspaper the three children killed were from the same family.

“Information I have, after school session they were told that their cattle had got lost and they started to search before they were attacked by lion,” they said.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

New to The Independent?

Or if you would prefer:

Hi {{indy.fullName}}

• My Independent Premium
• Account details
• Help centre

AT THE SMITHSONIAN

Why don’t lions attack tourists on safari and more questions from our readers.

A Moon-less Earth, yoga history, climate change and human speech

Smithsonian magazine

Why don’t wild lions attack human tourists in open vehicles?

Douglas Hall, Suwanee, Georgia

It’s all about predator-prey dynamics: A lion wouldn’t think twice about going after an individual human, but a motor vehicle is just so much larger than any animal a lion would usually attack as prey (or perceive as a threat it could handle). This dynamic also helps explain why animals do things or have characteristics to make themselves look larger—to avoid being perceived as easy prey.

Craig Saffoe, Curator of great cats, National Zoo

What would happen to the Earth if the Moon were destroyed?

Rose Mary, Bundscho, Houston

There’s a vibrant literature on the subject on the Internet, but the logic chains are rather long and sometimes hard to follow. In reality, any event violent enough to destroy the Moon would likely destroy the Earth, too. Speaking less literally, the Earth without the Moon would be a planet without tides—and with a less compelling night sky. David DeVorkin Curator of astronomy and space sciences, Air and Space Museum

How long ago did humans develop the ability to speak and form words?

Marsha Cox, Kure Beach, North Carolina

We don’t know about spoken words; they don’t turn into fossils that we can discover and date. But written words date back about 8,000 years, and evidence of artistic expression, such as sculptures and paintings, is much more ancient. For instance, humans began using pigments like ocher and manganese to mark objects, and possibly their own skin, between 320,000 and 260,000 years ago.

Briana Pobiner, Paleoanthropologist, Natural History Museum

We often hear that climate change is raising the sea level. Is it rising globally or in specific locations?

Wayne Gilbert, Westminster, Colorado

The sea level is rising worldwide, but not uniformly, due to differences in ocean circulation, winds, the shape of local bodies of water, seafloor characteristics and even the gravitational pull of polar ice sheets. The elevation of land may also change over time in an equally variable fashion. Combined, the two factors create a great deal of local variation in the rise of sea elevation compared with land elevation, which we call relative sea level rise.

Patrick Megonigal, Climate change ecologist, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Who invented yoga?

Debbie Peck, Germantown, Wisconsin

No specific individual or spiritual tradition. Yoga emerged in northern India about 2,500 years ago, as men and women of various faiths began to renounce social bonds and turn to meditation as a means of rising above the pain of existence. By the seventh century A.D., the core concepts, practices and vocabulary of almost every yoga system were established, though variations and expansions continue.

Debra Diamond, Curator, “Yoga: The Art of Transformation,” Sackler Gallery

It's your turn to Ask Smithsonian

Get the latest on what's happening At the Smithsonian in your inbox.

Tanzania Terror

One lion sets a trap to catch his human prey.

Biology, Geography, Human Geography

Lions are the only big cats that form prides, or groups, to hunt and defend their territory. Lions prey on a variety of animals, including baboons, water buffalo, rodents, zebras, and antelopes. Sometimes they scavenge or steal from other predators like cheetahs or hyenas. As human populations increase and encroach on lion habitat, conflicts between humans and lions arise. Humans and lions are forced to compete for food and space. In certain areas of Tanzania, some lions prey upon humans. Between 1932 and 1947, three generations of lions killed 1,500 people in the Njombe District in southern Tanzania. Man-eating lions in Tanzania are being studied to determine whether or not they intentionally set traps to catch human prey. Their strategy to lure people out of their homes and then attack them is similar to how lions hunt other prey. The cubs within a pride learn to hunt by imitating the lionesses. Thus, the killing of humans could be a learned behavior passed on from generation to generation.

Media Credits

The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.

Expert Reviewer

National geographic program, last updated.

October 19, 2023

User Permissions

For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. They will best know the preferred format. When you reach out to them, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource.

If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media.

Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service .

Interactives

Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. You cannot download interactives.

Related Resources

• Introductions & get togethers
• News & articles
• Safari planning guide
• Hunting Africa
• Hunting reports
• Firearms, ammo, optics & gear
• Hunting & fishing worldwide
• Shows, books, jokes & more
• Search forums

Tourist Killed by Lions - WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT

• Thread starter Thread starter AfricaHunting.com
• Start date Start date Jul 21, 2009

AfricaHunting.com

• Jul 21, 2009

Wow. That's about all i have to say. That guy made a mistake...big time.  

Well lions have to eat too! OK.....I am sure that will get some flack so let me try and soften my tactless response. Of course I feel sorry for the guy getting shredded and his poor family having to watch it. But really.........this was a bad case of 'dumb and dumber'. Not sure what happened with this in the end, but probably the lions got euthanized for some urban tourist doing something really stupid. They do it every year all over the world. Walking up to big game with camera in hand.....bears, bison bulls, cow elk with calves, moose and elk bulls during the rut.....and lions. Call me an insensitive lout, but I have a hard time drumming up a lot of honest to goodness sympathy for people that do really stupid things.  

Like Skyline the only ones I have any real sympathy for are his wife and kids as they were involuntarily placed in the position to watch a fool's final act. Yeah, okay, we've all done foolish things, but there really are some limits. Even for foolishness. "Here kitty, kitty, pose for the camera."  

Hard to feel bad for this jackass. :samurai:  

Indy Hunter

• Jul 24, 2009

How close does one really need to be to get good pictures or footage?  

browningbbr

I have mixed feelings on this. On one hand, I feel sorry for the guy. On the other hand, the gene pool got cleaned up a bit.  

We are responsible for every decision we make, no matter how good or bad. However, I would not wish that on anyone, no matter how stupid.  

BangFlop said: We are responsible for every decision we make, no matter how good or bad. However, I would not wish that on anyone, no matter how stupid. Click to expand...

DUGABOY. . . my sentiments exactly!  

Valid points ....  

• Jul 28, 2009

What Can i say they probably shot the lions for this person's stupid mistake. Most people dont know this but we have tested this when a female lioness sees you and stands up from that point it will take her 2.5 seconds to reach 60km/h.  

• Aug 13, 2010

The stupid guy probably died, his family is in shock and the lion (who already had a shitty life in that cage) was sort of shot by a 9mm handgun and died slowly and in a lot of pain ... nice going of this guy ...  

Ya just can"t fix stupid  

• Aug 14, 2010

Well it’s not pretty and not the lion king either but I am sure the greenies will be able to say that wild animals and humans should go hand in hand I mean what have we got to fear from them anyway LOL! Just my 2 cents. Best Regards Louis van Bergen  

• Aug 16, 2010

AfricaHunting.com said: "Man Eaters Of Tsavo" by famous Wildlife Artisit John Banovich. Check out his amazing work on his website at www.johnbanovich.com . Man Eaters Of Tsavo by John Banovich, 50" X 77" Oil On Linen, Private Collection. Click to expand...

• Aug 17, 2010

Members online

• Shotgun Coach
• Acopperdawg
• Mergus Serrator
• SkullKeeper
• Grandpa Moose
• teklanika_ray
• bingpengqiu530
• MontanaGrant
• Wishfulthinker580
• Ontario Hunter
• Countrylife
• John the Electrician
• soumya sarkar
• Safari Dave
• CBH Australia
• Inkgardener
• JimmyJack54
• sureshot375

Forum statistics

Proudly sponsored by.

• More sponsors

Latest posts

• Latest: HunterX
• A moment ago
• Latest: bingpengqiu530
• 2 minutes ago
• Latest: GoexFFG
• 6 minutes ago
• Latest: Safari Dave
• 7 minutes ago

• Latest: Brent in Az
• 9 minutes ago

Latest profile posts

Landowner Tags | Epic Outdoors

Share this page

• This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies. Accept Learn more…

MORE SECTIONS

• Dear Deidre

MORE FROM THE SUN

• Newsletters
• Deliver my newspaper
• Sun Vouchers
• The Sun Digital Newspaper
• Racing Members Enclosure
• Fabulous Clothing

Tourist mauled by a LION as he slept in tent with wife wins huge payout from Brit safari firm

• Published : 15:56, 25 Jan 2021
• Updated : 16:36, 25 Jan 2021

A TOURIST who was mauled by a lion as he slept in a tent with his wife has won a huge payout from a British safari firm.

Patrick Fourgeaud, 64, was mauled by the adult male - which ripped part of his arm off - during a trip in the Ruaha National Park in Tanzania in August 2015.

His wife, Brigitte, 63, had woken to find the animal sniffing at her back before it pounced on her husband.

The beast was eventually scared away, leaving Mr Fourgeaud, of Mont-Saxonnex, France, seriously injured.

He had multiple operations to his arm, while the couple both struggle with mental health problems.

They sued UK-based Africa Travel Resource Ltd for damages and, although the firm denied responsibility, it has now agreed to pay up, a court heard.

The settlement will see the couple receive 90 per cent of the value of their claim once it has been assessed.

According to court documents, they are claiming over £200,000 - but the final sum is likely to be considerably more, with the lawyers' bills alone coming to £300,000.

'RIGHT AND REASONABLE'

High Court judge Mr Justice Martin Spencer said: "I am absolutely sure the compromise is the right one and a reasonable one.

"It is much better for the claimants that they should have the certainty of a settlement after all this time."

Court documents revealed that the animal-loving couple, who had been on safari before, were several nights into their African trip when the attack occurred.

They thought they were safe when they bedded down in their mesh tent, but woke to find the lion inside.

Speaking afterwards, Mrs Fourgeaud said: "I will never forget that moment when I woke up to see the lion there.

"I thought we were both going to die. The attack will stay with me for the rest of my life."

The couple claim that not enough was done to ensure their camp was safe from attacks.

The company fought the claim for five years, but finally agreed to settle the case on the eve of a trial due to start today, the court was told.

Most read in News

Body found in search for wife of rugby legend after she vanished while swimming

Plane crash horror as aircraft smashes into field with man rushed to hospital

Parents have 'disgusting' brawl at UNDER-12s rugby after 'ref made bad call'

The sinister underworld driving feral shoplifters who attack with used needles

Lawyer Matthew Chapman said more work would be done to investigate the level of the payout the couple will seek, although court documents put the claim at "in excess of £200,000".

The judge also ordered that Africa Travel Resource pay £100,000 towards the couple's already incurred legal costs.

A further hearing will be arranged to set out directions for the assessment of their damages payout.

University of Minnesota Twin Cities

University digital conservancy, lion attacks on humans in southeastern tanzania: risk factors and perceptions..

View/Download File

Persistent link to this item, journal title, journal issn, volume title, published date, description, collections, series/report number, funding information, isbn identifier, doi identifier, previously published citation, suggested citation.

Content distributed via the University Digital Conservancy may be subject to additional license and use restrictions applied by the depositor. By using these files, users agree to the Terms of Use . Materials in the UDC may contain content that is disturbing and/or harmful. For more information, please see our statement on harmful content in digital repositories .

• Best Time to Visit Tanzania
• Tanzania weather
• Travel Insurance
• Tanzania Travel Advice
• Tanzania Yellow Fever Requirements
• Visa Tanzania
• Flying Doctors Services
• Sustainable Travel
• The Hakuna Matata Academy
• Easy payments
• About Tanzania Specialist
• Our Experts

Why Lions Do Not Attack Tourists While On Jeep

15 December 2022

Lions are natural predators. In the wild, they must hunt for their food, and this is why they are usually at the top of the food chain.

While it can be difficult to think of these beautiful creatures as hunters, this is part of nature, and ultimately part of the great circle of life.

If you are visiting any African countries where lions reside, it is likely that you will want to do a game tour to see these creatures in their natural habitat.

But you might be anxious about the chance of a lion attacking you during this tour.

Read on to find out why lions do not attack tourists while they are on jeeps.

Why Don’t Lions Attack Tourists On Jeeps?

It is incredibly unlikely for a lion to attack a tourist jeep during a game tour.

While attacks have occurred in the past, they are incredibly rare, and this is why this style of tour is so popular.

The main reason why lions do not attack tourists on jeeps is because of the predator-prey instincts that keep lions alive in the wild.

While a single human being isn’t seen as a predator to a lion, and instead is seen as something they could easily attack, the same cannot be said for a jeep.

Any motor vehicle that has 4-wheels is usually perceived as a threat by lions, simply due to the size of these vehicles.

But a jeep is seen as even more of a threat due to the large size of these vehicles.

Jeeps are much larger than a single lion, and when you combine this with the number of human beings that a jeep can hold at once, it is easy to see why lions see jeeps as a threat.

On top of this, lions do not tend to attack tourists on jeeps, simply because they do not tend to approach these vehicles.

On the odd occasion where lions do approach jeeps, tour guides tend to take precautions for the safety of their passengers.

This will typically include asking passengers to stay still and quiet while the lions are close by.

A combination of these factors is the reason why lions generally do not attack tourists on jeeps.

In short, lions do not attack tourists on jeeps because they see the jeep as a threat due to the size of the vehicle.

This is why game drives during your safari in Tanzania are generally very safe in areas where lions reside.

Thanks for reading!

Make your dream trip come true with Tanzania Specialist.

Customized travel proposal.

At Tanzania Specialist, you can tailor your trip to your preferences. Our sample itineraries are customizable, and our specialists work with you to create your dream trip!

Related posts

Tanzanian Weddings: Cultural Heritage Meets Celebration

Tanzanian weddings beautifully unite time-honoured rituals, vibrant attire, delicious food, and lively celebrations. Though wedding traditions vary between the over 100 ethnic groups in Tanzania, most share common threads that date back generations. At their core, Tanzanian weddings are joyful celebrations honouring not only the bride and the groom but also the family and community. […]

Religion in Tanzania: A Statistical and Cultural Overview

From the city’s vibrant streets to tranquil villages – the influence of religion in Tanzania is unmistakable. It’s an integral part of the daily lives of Tanzanians, infusing both grand celebrations and quiet, everyday moments with a sense of tradition and community unique to this nation. So if you’re curious about the diversity of religious […]

Surfing in Tanzania: Exploring the Coastal Surfing Havens

For the seasoned surfer, the name “Tanzania” might not immediately conjure up images of barrelling waves and sun-kissed beaches. Yet, nestled along Tanzania’s stunning coastline, a vibrant, and growing surf scene awaits those willing to venture beyond the mainstream. From the world-class breaks of Pangani to the hidden gems of the Southern Zanzibar Archipelago, Tanzania […]

Let us create your tailor-made trip

Receive a free, no obligation quote.

Call an expert

Our specialists are here to assist you.

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals
• Explore content
• About the journal
• Publish with us
• Sign up for alerts
• Brief Communication
• Published: 17 August 2005

Conservation biology

Lion attacks on humans in Tanzania

• Craig Packer 1 , 2 ,
• Dennis Ikanda 2 ,
• Bernard Kissui 1 , 2 &
• Hadas Kushnir 1  

Nature volume  436 ,  pages 927–928 ( 2005 ) Cite this article

2518 Accesses

165 Citations

231 Altmetric

Metrics details

Understanding the timing and distribution of attacks on rural communities will help to prevent them.

Large carnivores inspire opposition to conservation efforts 1 , 2 owing to their impact on livestock 3 , 4 , 5 and human safety 6 , 7 . Here we analyse the pattern of lion attacks over the past 15 years on humans in Tanzania, which has the largest population of lions in Africa 8 , 9 , and find that they have killed more than 563 Tanzanians since 1990 and injured at least 308. Attacks have increased dramatically during this time: they peak at harvest time each year and are most frequent in areas with few prey apart from bush pigs ( Potamochoerus larvatus ), the most common nocturnal crop pest. Our findings provide an important starting point for devising strategies to reduce the risk to rural Tanzanians of lion attacks.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

185,98 € per year

only 3,65 € per issue

Buy this article

• Purchase on SpringerLink
• Instant access to full article PDF

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

Landscape predictors of human–leopard conflicts within multi-use areas of the Himalayan region

A pan-African spatial assessment of human conflicts with lions and elephants

Assessing the illegal hunting of native wildlife in China

Kellert, S. R. et al. Conserv. Biol. 10 , 977–990 (1996).

Article   Google Scholar  

Wilson, C. J. Mammal Rev. 34 , 211–232 (2004).

Ogada, M. O., Woodroffe, R., Oguge, N. O. & Frank, L. G. Conserv. Biol. 17 , 1521–1530 (2003).

Patterson, B. D., Kasiki, S. M., Selempo, E. & Kays, R. W. Biol. Conserv. 119 , 507–516 (2004).

Treves, A. et al. Conserv. Biol. 18 , 114–125 (2004).

Kerbis-Peterhans, J. C. & Gnoske, T. P. J. East Afric. Nat. Hist. 90 , 1–40 (2002).

Google Scholar  

Löe, J. & Röskaft, E. Ambio 33 , 283–288 (2004).

Chardonnet, P. Conservation of the African Lion: Contribution to a Status Survey (International Foundation for the Conservation of Wildlife, France, and Conservation Force, USA, 2002).

Bauer, H. & Van Der Merwe, S. Oryx 38 , 26–31 (2004).

Rushby, G. C. No More the Tusker (W. H. Allen, London, 1965).

Nicholson, B. The Last of Old Africa (Safari, Long Beach, California, 2001).

TRAFFIC. Food For Thought: The Utilization of Wild Meat in Eastern and Southern Africa (IUCN/WWF, Cambridge, UK, 1998).

Treves, A. & Karanth, K. U. Conserv. Biol. 17 , 1491–1499 (2003).

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St Paul, 55108, Minnesota, USA

Craig Packer, Bernard Kissui & Hadas Kushnir

Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, Box 661, Arusha, Tanzania

Craig Packer, Dennis Ikanda & Bernard Kissui

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Craig Packer .

Ethics declarations

Competing interests.

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Supplementary information

Supplementary methods, rights and permissions.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Packer, C., Ikanda, D., Kissui, B. et al. Lion attacks on humans in Tanzania. Nature 436 , 927–928 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/436927a

Download citation

Published : 17 August 2005

Issue Date : 18 August 2005

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/436927a

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

This article is cited by

Stable isotope analyses of carbon and nitrogen in hair keratin of suspected man-eating wolves from 1880s.

• Juho-Antti Junno

Scientific Reports (2024)

Animals evoking fear in the Cradle of Humankind: snakes, scorpions, and large carnivores

• Daniel Frynta
• Hassan Sh Abdirahman Elmi
• Petra Frýdlová

The Science of Nature (2023)

Body mass ratios determine dietary patterns and help predicting predator–prey interactions of Neotropical Carnivora

• Lívia R. Cruz
• Mathias M. Pires

Mammal Research (2022)

• Enrico Di Minin
• Craig Packer

Nature Communications (2021)

Predicting livestock depredation risk by African lions (Panthera leo) in a multi-use area of northern Tanzania

• E. R. Olson

European Journal of Wildlife Research (2020)

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines . If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

• NOT EXACTLY ROCKET SCIENCE

Moon wanes, Leo rises – lion attacks more common in week after a full moon

It’s been a week since the last full moon on 15th July. During this time, the odds of being attacked by a lion are highest than at any other point in the month, which is why I’ve been walking around the neighbourhood with two guard bears and a platoon of ninjas. The fact that I live in a leafy suburb of London is inconsequential. You can never be too careful. Constant vigilance.

Of course, lion attacks are more of a problem in other parts of the world. In Tanzania, lions have attacked more than a thousand people between 1988 and 2009, and eaten around two-thirds of them. Now Craig Packer from the University of Minnesota has shown that the frequency of these attacks is tied into lunar cycles.

Texan-born Packer first visited Tanzania in 1972 to study baboons with Jane Goodall. When he returned to the country in 1978, his attention had shifted to lions and it has never left . His team expanded upon records of local lion prides that began in the 1960s, creating a massive set of data on over 5,000 individuals from the Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater. By tracking females with radio collars , Packer’s team even has daily records for some prides, including details of their health, location, and even the size of their bellies.

That last piece of information came in particularly useful in their latest study. Packer showed that the lions’ bellies are at their largest on the days closest to the new moon (when it’s totally dark) and smallest close to the full moon. This makes sense – contrary to the bright scenes of most nature documentaries, lions do most of their hunting at night. They’re most successful in pitch darkness and indeed, Packer’s team is more likely to find a pride feasting on a kill in the mornings surrounding a new moon.

In the light of a full moon, killing is tougher work, and lions compensate by scavenging more often and hunting round the clock. Even with these shifted strategies, their bellies still shrink, which means that in the days after a full moon, lions are at their hungriest.

These days also create the ideal conditions for a surprise attack. When the moon is waxing (on its way to becoming full), it rises before the sun sets. But when the moon is waning, there are several hours of darkness between sunset and moonrise, creating the perfect window for a hungry, stealthy hunter.

Packer found that lion attacks on humans are most common during this window. He reviewed government records of every attack since 1988, he interviewed survivors and families of victims, and he visited over 500 attack sites. He found that lion attacks are two to four times more common in the days after a full moon than in the ones before it, and that most people are attacked in the window of darkness between 6pm and 10pm.

The time of year also matters. During the wet season between November and May, the nights are cloudier. During these months, lions are three times more likely to attack people during the dark window after the full moon, than they are during the dry season.

Today, the threat of lions may be confined to certain parts of Africa today, but Packer points out that these cats were once spread throughout the entire world. Humans have co-existed with them and other nocturnal hunters for our entire evolutionary history.

Packer suggests that these dangers might help to explain the role of the full moon in human folklore, and its associations with illness, madness and monsters. As he writes, “The full moon accurately indicates that the risks of lion predation will increase dramatically in the coming days. [It] is not dangerous in itself but is instead a portent of the darkness to come.”

Reference: Packer, C., Swanson, A., Ikanda, D., & Kushnir, H. (2011). Fear of Darkness, the Full Moon and the Nocturnal Ecology of African Lions PLoS ONE, 6 (7) DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0022285

Photo by Schuyler Shepherd Schuyler Shepherd

More on lions:

• Older elephants know the best anti-lion moves
• How many people did the man-eating lions of Tsavo actually eat?
• How the cat that got the cream then drank it
• Lions killed by perfect storm of changing climate, virus and parasites

Become a subscriber and support our award-winning editorial features, videos, photography, and much more.

For as little as $2/mo.

Related Topics

• ANIMAL BEHAVIOR
• Environment
• Paid Content

History & Culture

• History & Culture
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Your US State Privacy Rights
• Children's Online Privacy Policy
• Interest-Based Ads
• About Nielsen Measurement
• Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
• Nat Geo Home
• Attend a Live Event
• Book a Trip
• Inspire Your Kids
• Shop Nat Geo
• Visit the D.C. Museum
• Learn About Our Impact
• Support Our Mission
• Advertise With Us
• Customer Service
• Renew Subscription
• Manage Your Subscription
• Work at Nat Geo
• Sign Up for Our Newsletters
• Contribute to Protect the Planet

Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society Copyright © 2015-2024 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved

Video shows Mike Hodge being dragged away by lion at the Makarele Predator Centre in Thabazimbi, South Africa

SOCIAL media is divided after footage shows a safari park owner being mauled by a lion. The man survived but the lion was put down. WARNING: Disturbing video

Grandad ‘ripped in half’ by crocodile

Why Aussie island is no swim paradise

Major change coming to owning a cat

THIS is the British safari park owner who was savaged by a huge male lion after entering its enclosure in front of horrified onlookers.

The Sun reports the distressing footage shows Mike Hodge being attacked by the big cat yesterday at the Makarele Predator Centre in Thabazimbi, South Africa.

* pic.twitter.com/Bax05SpnMQ — Pāʻani (@unclemissouri) April 30, 2018

The British man, who relocated from the UK with his wife Chrissy in 2003, is currently in hospital and is said to have sustained neck and jaw injuries.

Speaking with The Sun , a friend of Mr Hodge’s, who does not wish to be named, said he was rushed to the Mediclinic Hospital 5km away.

His friend revealed that the park owner was investigating a smell in the lion’s enclosure when the predator attacked him.

“Mike and one of his rangers were a little concerned about a smell in a compound that was upsetting one of the lions and had gone in through the gate to see what was causing it,” he said.

“It had put the lion on edge but when Mike went in the lion turned and came for him and he ran but couldn’t get through the gate quick enough and it had him.

“There is no information coming out of the hospital but all I know is that he is alive and his wife and daughter are with him.

“I do not know how badly hurt he is but he is a lovely guy and I wish him all the best.

“He is no fool around lions and knows how to interact with them but clearly something went wrong” she said.

South African police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe told News24 that Mr Hodge sustained injuries to his neck and jaw but was recuperating.

In the footage, the lion spots Mr Hodge after he enters its enclosure and chases him towards the metal door of the facility.

In astonishing scenes, the elderly park owner is dragged like a rag doll towards some bushes.

Onlookers scream for help while the animal paws Mr Hodge, who does not appear to be moving.

The lion then drags him further into the bushes but then gunshots ring out and the lion is scared away.

But the predator remains near the victim while more shots are fired into the air.

One girl who is watching the attack is heard crying in horror as another man shouts for someone to “get a rifle.”

The animal has reportedly been killed following the attack.

Mr and Mrs Hodge are believed to have started a lion project in Thabazimbi, northern South Africa, which became the Marakele Animal Sanctuary in 2009.

And due to the park’s popularity, the couple created the predator centre within the sanctuary featuring at least a dozen big cats, including white lions, cheetahs and two Bengal tigers.

Marakele remains closed following the attack while Mrs Hodge was said to be too upset to comment on the incident.

Social media users however felt that the lion should not have been put down and questioned why Mr Hodge would be inside the lion’s enclosure when it was that close to him.

It’s a wild animal. Why was he inside there. — Archford Matienga (@archizzlee) May 1, 2018

What was he thinking walking into that cage. I mean really. These animals are not toys 🙈 — Ryan Kankowski (@Kankowski) May 1, 2018

Hey I got an idea, maybe let's not keep wild animals in cages! — Zane (@ZaneMorgan_) May 1, 2018

He shouldn’t have been in there, but he still did not deserve that. People that’s saying that he did is evil af. He made a mistake of getting too comfortable but he DID NOT deserve that. — Hotsauce (@Marchelle_Hoee) May 1, 2018

pic.twitter.com/5oZb851sBr — Earl-San ㊙️ (@GoldBloodedSFG) May 1, 2018

This article originally appeared in The Sun and is republished here with permission

A grandfather has been killed by a crocodile near his home in Indonesia. His wife found his clothes and phone on the banks of a river.

K’gari may be the largest sand island and one of the most beautiful places in the world, but recent shark catches may have some visitors thinking twice about taking a dip. SEE THE PHOTOS

New laws on cat ownership have already been introduced in some states.

MORE SECTIONS

• Social Casino

MORE FROM THE SUN

• Newsletters
• The Sun Newspaper
• US Explainers
• Africa Cup of Nations

Afcon coach SACKED just one game into tournament after furious rant led to ban

THE AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS has already seen its first dismissal after just one game. A manager has been sacked after his rant led to a suspension from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and his own team.

How 'demonic ape' Frodo ate a toddler in killing that shocked the world

Heartwarming moment cute lion cubs dive on top of their mum

Dramatic moment giraffes batter each other with their heads in deadly duel

Terrifying moment ‘dumb’ tourist opens window to stroke lion on safari

Meet Nobel Literature Prize winner Abdulrazak Gurnah

Explaining what happened to John Magufuli

Tanzania's president dies after rumors covid-sceptic leader contracted virus

Mystery illness where victims ‘vomit blood’ and ‘die within hours’ kills 15

Tourist mauled by LION as he slept in tent with wife wins huge payout from firm

Lion leaps over stream — just in case there are any crocodiles lurking

Al Qaida's number two 'assassinated by Mossad over US embassy attacks'

Miner who became millionaire digging gemstones hits jackpot for THIRD time

African miner becomes overnight millionaire after digging up huge gems worth £3m

Pride of TEN lions take a nap in a single tree… so can you spot them all?