King of Serengeti Lion Bob Jr. Killed by Younger Lions

Younger lions killed Bob Jr., the lion known as the King of the Serengeti, which experts say is common in the animal kingdom.

Following his death on Saturday at the hands of rival lions, national park aficionados in Africa are grieving the demise of their very own lion king.

The lion, Bob Jr. or Snyggve, was named after Bob Marley, the famed Jamaican singer, and songwriter.

According to experts, the handsome lion was probably killed by younger lions, in their act to overthrow the king of the pride, the BBC News reported.

King of Serengeti, Bob Jr.

Together with his brother Tryggve, Bob Jr. ruled the Serengeti National Park for seven years, Tanzania Times reported.

Due to their attractiveness, the 12-year-old brothers won the hearts of many.

On Instagram, Serengeti National Park very often posted images of the lions, referring to them as "The Lion Brothers" and "Kings."

The park informs its followers in one posted photo that the lion brothers share equal dominance peacefully, along with mating rights, and pride protection responsibilities with no intramural fighting.

Leopards, buffalo, elephants, rhinos, and of course the lion brothers, their mates, and their young call Serengeti National Park home.

It is situated in the northern region of Tanzania, and the park is home to more than 3,000 lions.

Killed by Younger Rival Lions, Just Normal

The rivals who killed Bob Jr., according to Serengeti conservation officer Fredy Shirima, wanted to dethrone him.

Three younger rivals battled against him in a territorial fight.

Zoological experts point out that the death of Bob Jr. was an honorable death among lions.

Shirima said that these incidents typically occur when the pride leader ages or occasionally when rival male lions become dissatisfied with his authority over a sizable territory.

Tryggve, who was slated to take over in event of his brother's death was also killed.

Although Shirima and his team are still attempting to confirm this, it is assumed that his brother also suffered the same fate.

He claimed that although the lion brothers were killed at various times, the killings appeared to be preplanned.

Although the news of the killing upset some fans, it probably happened naturally and frequently among animals.

In an interview with The Washington Post, Rob Marchant, a University of York professor of tropical ecology, said that this is completely normal and a part of the cycle of life, where the fittest survive.

Also Read: Endangered West African Lion Cub Seen in Senegal, Population Now 375 

Heart-Broken Fans of the Lion Brothers

Following the news, photographers, wildlife conservationists, and social media users visited the web to express their condolences.

A user on the social media platform Facebook said that New kings will now rule the Namiri Plains, which Bob Jr., together with Tryggve, had ruled for the previous seven years, and the cycle of life in the wild will continue as it has for thousands of years.

On Facebook, a different user stated that it is the worst news and that an amazing era of a storied lineage has come to an end, USA Today reported.

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