A survey reveals lions in Tanzania are killing people three times more often than they did 15 years ago. Villagers and wildlife officials are actively hunting these man-eating lions.

Research by the University of Minnesota's Lion Research Center and Tanzania's Wildlife Research Institute, published in the science journal Nature

Zakia Meghji, Tanzania's minister for tourism and natural resources, says "Lions that often attack humans are old animals that are unable to stay in the pride. They end up targeting humans who are a far more easier prey than wildlife."

Reports state villagers in the area who cannot afford to buy fences sleep in their fields to guard their crops against nocturnal pests such as wild pigs. These farmers inadvertently are attacked by lions who follow the pigs.

Since 1990, 563 people have been killed, at least 308 injured by lions - the number of fatalities has slowly increased since.