For me, a total urbanite, it seems to be strange behavior in that the lion killed far beyond what one would think for hunger needs. Maybe because they were penned up but still strange (I wonder if it was all of the penned sheep?). There is also the fact (though PETA would deny it probably) a blood-lust, joy in the ability to do something, that does NOT solely exist for humans.
Animals go on killing rampages from time to time. Think about it: If you’ve ever owned a male cat, there will be periods where he inexplicably got pissy and attcked things at random. This is leftover programming from being a wild animal. Reference the story of The Ghost & The Darkness - two man-eating lions kill dozens of people for God only knows what reason. They just felt like it.
About 20 years ago I talked to a rancher and his wife that had both cattle and sheep. They had been the last of the ranchers in the area near Medicine Bow, Wyoming that raised sheep.
One night they lost 27 sheep out of 200 to a group of coyotes.
Only a small number of the sleep had been killed for food, the rest were part of a killing spree.
The remaining sheep were shipped to market the next day.
That marked the end of their flock of sheep.
Total Urbanite? Kidding right?
You mean you actually never built a fire (without a prepackaged “log” thingy), killed something actually alive to eat it, peeed in the woods etc?
Really? You gotta move before you lose all perspective...
Seriously.
God Bless the poor Urbanites!
Molon Labe
OK, lemme give you a tip as a guy who has hunted a LOT in the high mountains of Nevada:
Should you ever be hiking/camping/hunting/fishing/whatever in the high mountains, be VERY aware of what is off to your sides and at your back. Turn around suddenly every 50 to 100 yards or so. Some times, you will see something disappear in a flash behind you - that will likely have been a cat when you’re above 7,500’ on a rocky hillside.
I have neighbors who are big, big men (6’4” and all of 250lbs - big guys) be stalked by cats that weighed less than these guys. As soon as they turn around, the cat freezes and then bolts - but the cat was stalking these guys and got within 20 yards. Cat kill by stealth and surprise - regardless of whether they’re going to win the fight or eat on you.
Something to keep in mind...
“For me, a total urbanite, it seems to be strange behavior in that the lion killed far beyond what one would think for hunger needs.”
Such killing is called a “killing frenzy”
Animal rights whackos, predator apologists, and bureau-scientists depending on Endangered Species Act related funding all want to substitute the innocuous sounding “surplus kill” for the historic “killing frenzy”.