Lion attacks on humans mainly occur between Dusk and on nights when the Moon was decreasing and providing relatively little light, says the study. Photo: APA lion is probably eat it only after a full moon, the survey showed. Other predators such as wolves, can also be at its most dangerous when the moon begins to wane.
The discovery of an African study 500 Lion attacks, could explain the place of the full moon in folklore as a harbinger of evil or disaster and its association with werewolves and vampires.
Scientists studied the records of almost 500 Lion attacks on residents of Tanzania between 1988 and 2009.
In more than two-thirds of the cases, the victims were killed and eaten. The vast majority of the attacks occurred between the twilight and on nights when the Moon was decreasing and providing relatively little light.
Lions hunt with more success when darkness allows them to surprise their prey, but in the bright moonlight nights, they might have to go hungry.
The period immediately after a full moon provides a lion with a welcome opportunity to catch up on missed meals.
Like the Moon decreases, it does not appear until well after nightfall, which near the Ecuador early occurs even in summer.
Peak danger to humans are, therefore, the active hours after sunset, especially the day after a full moon.
The pattern emerged clearly when the researchers compared rates of attack with moon phases. The attacks were one third more frequent during the second half of the cycle, when there was little or no rain.
Investigator Dr Craig Packer, a Lion specialist based at the University of Minnesota College of biological sciences in the United States, said: "people start threatening moderate for days 0-4, when the Moon is just a splinter and sets just after sunset.
"Danger, then declines as the Moon looks brighter every night, with very few attacks in the evenings just before the full moon. Then, wham, danger spikes as the hungry Lions can now operate in darkness for the rest of the lunar cycle.
"Spike post full moon is restricted to a few hours of complete darkness before the larger Moon rises later."
Lion attacks also increased during the rainy season, when the Moon was more likely to be obscured by clouds.
The study, published on Wednesday in the online Journal Public Library of Science ONE, involved checking the measurements of the size of the belly registered regularly since 1978 Lion and Lion attacks records kept by government authorities of Tanzania.
The researchers said: "these findings provide new insights into human attitudes to the Moon".
They pointed out that humans have lived near nightly large carnivores for many thousands of years.
Lions were once the most widely distributed mammal in the world, and Jaguars, Tigers and leopards have coexisted with people in Asia, Africa and tropical America. Human ancestors realistic portraits painted on the walls of the cave lions 36000 years ago.
"So, we were always at risk of predation a cycle with the waxing and waning of the Moon," said the scientists.
Between sunset and sunrise, humans were most active at night and at greater risk from predators.
The researchers added: "the darkest hours in the evening are restricted to the weeks following the full moon, and lions are hungriest bright nights immediately after the second quarter.
"Although we are safer from attacks of León during nights well-lit, full moon accurately indicates that risks of Lion predation will increase dramatically in the coming days. Thus, the full moon is not dangerous in itself, but instead is an omen of darkness to come. "
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