Maneaters

Man-eaters are wild animals that include humans as prey. The label is applied when an individual animal preys on humans on a regular or significant basis, but it does not imply that all individuals of the species are man-eaters. Across taxa, the term has been used for certain crocodilians, big cats, sharks, and occasionally bears.

Causes of man-eating behavior include scarcity of natural prey, injury or old age that reduces hunting efficiency, habituation to humans via feeding, habitat loss, and encroachment into wildlife territories. In some cases, humans may inadvertently contribute to the problem by feeding or provisioning wildlife. Once an animal begins preying on humans, it can become increasingly dangerous, and responses by authorities or communities may escalate to removal or culling as a last resort, though nonlethal measures are also pursued.

Notable examples in historical and contemporary records include the Nile crocodile and saltwater crocodile, which are among the most lethal predators of humans in Africa and Asia, respectively. The Bengal tiger and various lions in parts of Africa have also been reported as man-eaters. In coastal regions, some sharks, notably the great white, have been implicated in human fatalities. Historical accounts of documented man-eaters include the Champawat Tiger, a tigress described by Jim Corbett as responsible for hundreds of deaths in Kumaon in the late 19th century; Corbett’s Man-Eaters of Kumaon also discusses other man-eating tigers, such as the Chowgarh tigress.

Efforts to prevent man-eating incidents focus on reducing human-wildlife conflict through secure housing, barriers, early warning systems, relocation or surveillance of problem individuals, and education and habitat management to minimize encounters.