The Tsavo lions were man-eaters. Man-eaters have human victims.

The skull is too phantom like for my tastes. But the cave of skulls and skeletons featured in the story.

I seem to remember a hand or arm mentioned in the book. Perhaps recovered otherwise being carried in the lions mouth. Certainly in Corbett's books there is a mention of a mandated tiger carrying an arm. Different story.

Simple fact man eaters eat humans. Gruesome but true. A reason for the fame of the story.