Bob Jr.
, the most handsome lion in Africa,
was killed by three rival lions
in a Tanzanian national park.
He was between 10 and 13 years old.
Specialists affirm that what happened was "normal" and that the animal could lead "a good life".
The mighty lion, nicknamed Bob Jr. by tour guides after his father, Bob Marley,
had amber eyes and a beautiful mane of shimmering gold
.
The roar from him was exceptional
.
He was, without a doubt, the king of the Serengeti national park.
But the monarchy could not be eternal
.
His time came over the weekend, when a pack of younger lions made a fatal attack on him near the Namiri plains.
According to the Washington Post, local media reported that it was
a turf fight
.
Bob Jr. was killed by three rival younger lions.
Photo: Instagram Asilia Africa
"Exceptionally handsome"
For
Craig Packer
, professor and director of the lion research center at the University of Minnesota, Bob Jr. was "
an exceptionally handsome animal
."
“He lived in an area where he was highly visible and he would just blow your mind because he was so handsome.
He had such a luxurious and impressive mane that people would react immediately.
And all he had to do was sit down,” the dialogue specialist completed with The Washington Post.
British conservationist
Keith Somerville
agreed with Packer: "I've seen so many lions,
and I've never seen a lion with such an incredible mane
."
Bob Jr. had an exceptional roar.
Photo: Instagram Asilia Africa
“totally normal”
Rob Marchant
, a professor of tropical ecology at New York University, said what happened "
is completely normal
" and "part of the life cycle where survival of the fittest reigns."
“I'm not sure which lions killed Bob Jr., but it's highly likely that his descendants, now younger and in better shape, were the perpetrators.
I am confident that Bob Jr.'s genes will live on through the many children he has fathered over the years,” Marchant said.
Packer said lions like him rise to the top of their social order by operating in "coalitions," while packs of male lions keep competitors for females and food at bay.
“If there is a younger but larger group,
then they are going to be on the rise at the expense of fewer and older ones
.”
“This is normal, it is what happens.
She led a good life.
The way he died, that's how most men who achieve that exalted status go, that's the price they pay,” Packer concluded.
“
He was much, much older and he was alone
.
It's sad, but it's also the way lions live," Somerville added.
How's everything going?
Maybe peacefully or with fierce battles.
For Somerville, the younger cubs of Bob Jr.'s former pack may seek revenge or face being killed by the new rulers.
It is worth noting that Bob Jr., also known as
Snyggve
, long ruled alongside his brother
Marley
, who died in a battle similar to that of the King.
sad goodbye
The Tanzania Times mourned the loss of "east Africa's most handsome lion" but said Bob Jr. "
ends his legacy with honor
."
The animal was known as "The King of the Serengeti".
Photo: Instagram Asilia Africa
A safari group, Asilia Africa, paid tribute to him for his "distinctive and lush black mane", calling him "
one of Africa's most iconic lions
", whose life was an "incredible journey of conquest and loss".
Serengeti National Park is home to at least 3,000 lions.
It is a UN World Heritage Site and attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world every year.
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