King of the nomads!
While the territorial male lions keep playing their game of life and death, the aging outlaw Jesse seems to outlive them all.
This special lion has not only adapted to the life of a nomad without any support of partners or prides but instead brought it to perfection. You will see him popping up here and there in the whole reserve and it’s conservancies, moving between foreign territories with an unparalleled instinctive certainty. Always fit. Always healthy. This male lion doesn’t need anyone. He hunts for himself, scavenges for himself and has slipped through his rivals claws so many times that it’s not worth counting anymore.
And when he’s actually forced to fight, don’t expect him to go easy on his opponent – like one of the Black Rock males experienced first hand.
Old Jesse has been living that kind of life longer than any other male lion in the Maasai Mara and beyond it’s borders. In fact he’s been longer a nomad than he had been a pride male. And he seems to enjoy it that way. With 11 years of age he’s still in formidable shape, in fact he looks better, bigger and bulkier than most pride males. It’s obvious that he’s still not done yet!
Maasai Mara
Photo credits: Saeed Hadipoor