Bob Jr., an iconic lion known as 'King of the Serengeti', killed by rival lions: Report
National park enthusiasts in Africa are mourning the loss of their very own lion king after he was killed by rival lions on Saturday, BBC News reported.
The lion, called Bob Jr. or Snyggve, was named after Jamaican singer and songwriter Bob Marley and known as the king of the Serengeti.
He was likely killed by younger lions, BBC News reported.
For seven years, he ruled Serengeti National Park with his brother Tryggve, local media reported.
The 12-year-old brothers captured the hearts of many because of their photogenic nature.
Serengeti National Park frequently shared photos of the lions on Instagram, referring to them as kings and "The Lion Brothers."
"Did you know lion brothers peacefully share equal dominance, mating rights and pride protection duties with no infighting among them," the park captioned one photo.
Serengeti National Park is home to leopards, buffalo, elephants, rhinos and of course, the lion brothers, their mates, and their offspring. It is located in the northern part of Tanzania and the park's lion population is said to be over 3,000, reports show.
What happened to the lions?
Fredy Shirima, a Serengeti conservation officer, told BBC News that the rivals who killed Bob Jr. wanted to overthrow him.
"These incidents normally happen when the head of a pride becomes old or sometimes when the other male lions are not happy with his control over a large territory," he told the outlet. "It is assumed his brother also met the same fate, but we are trying to confirm this."
He said the lions were assassinated at separate times but the killings seemed to be a planned.
While the killing was sad news to fans, it likely was a natural and common occurrence in the animal kingdom.
“I think this is entirely normal and part of the cycle of life, where the survival of the fittest reigns,” Rob Marchant, a professor of tropical ecology at the University of York, told The Washington Post.
Social media users react to the deaths
Upon hearing the news, social media users, wildlife conservationists and photographers took to the web to offer condolences.
"The Namiri Plains that had been ruled by Bob Jr. and Tryggve for the last 7 years will now be claimed by new kings and so the circle of life out there in the wild continues like it did for the last thousands of years," one Facebook user wrote.
"The worst news," another user wrote on Facebook. "An incredible era of a storied lineage is over."
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757 – and loves all things horror, witches, Christmas, and food. Follow her on Twitter at @Saleen_Martin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bob Jr., Serengeti National Park lion, killed by rivals: Report
