Follow-up on Lions of Savuti

[Larry Dunn <majestic_cheese@yahoo.com>]

I now have a copy of HUNTING WITH THE MOON: THE LIONS OF SAVUTI, a
beautifully designed book with stunning photography and, rather oddly,
an inspirational quote from Camille Paglia (of all people).

This book (or, perhaps, the National Geo teevee program shot in
cooperatin with the authors) has been cited on the list several times
in order to describe certain lions preying upon elephants.  

These lions were at one point used as an example of groups of
carnivores attacking very large, dangerous herbivores, and has
recently come up in some other context as well.

Well, for the record, I read the chapter relating to this kind of
hunting, "Against the Odds," and, as related there, the lions in
Savuti prey on very young elephant calves, not on adult elephants as
has been described.  One male lion is described as *tackling and
knocking over* such a calf.

Still pretty audacious, but, well ....

Oh -- they usually get the carcasses of adult elephants dying by other
means.

One assumes that, if these lions had been observed killing a five ton
elephant, it would be in the book.  I have not yet read the entire
book, but will update in the unlikely event that there's a reference
to predation upon adult elephants somewhere else in there.

(By the way, it's kind of a fancy coffeetable book.)

==
Larry
"You are interested in the unknown, the mysterious, the unexplainable -- that 
is why you are here.  And now, for the first time, we are bringing you the full 
story of what happened ... on that fateful day."
http://members.tripod.com/~megalania/index.html


_________________________________________________________
DO YOU YAHOO!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com