Notch Coalition Male Lineage

[sanjay]

Peter Rettig from FB has written very well description about Notch and their history:

I recommend to read it carefully if you love Notch boys

The End of an Era!
A large Male Lion Coalition has left a huge footprint on their home grounds, the Maasai Mara in Kenya. A coalition of 6 Big Male Lions called the Notches. They have ruled over an area of almost 1000 km² over the many years of their dominance. From the year 2008 to mid of 2017 the Notches were the most popular coalition of Male Lions in Africa. They ruled over many Prides of Lions as they moved around over the years. The Paradise Pride, the Mugoro Pride, the Serena Pride, the Rekero Pride, the Rekero Breakaway Pride, the Rongai Pride, the Olkiombo Pride, the Maji ya Fisi Pride and the Lookout Pride.
Notch was an iconic black maned Male Lion who appeared in the Musiara Marsh of the Maasai Mara in the year 2003 along with his coalition partner. A year later they had finally taken over the famous Marsh Pride of Lions. But Notch found himself being a single Pride Male mid of 2005, after his coalition partner was killed by intruding males. Several cubs had been born into the Marsh Pride sired by Notch and his partner in 2005. Eight survived 5 males and 3 females. And against all odds Notch hold on to his territory for another almost 2 years and sired more cubs. But in March/April 2007 three new males muscled in and finally chased him off.


Usually that marks the end of a Male Lion in Africa, as single nomads they mostly do not survive long. But Notch did something very unusual, he did not leave his territory alone but took his five sons with him! These 5 young males have been given names: Notch II and Long - the oldest, Ron and Ceasar - probably brothers and Grimace - the youngest.


Supported by famous BBC documentaries and featured on countless articles, photographs and reports while being followed by thousands on the Social Networks the Notches became Stars. They entertained and amazed people around the globe while many booked their first Safari to Kenya simply to go and see the Notches themselves.
Now this era is over.

Their disappearance
Over the years and due to countless battles with other Male Lions the Notch Coalition lost members one by one. Long was the first who vanished in 2010 in the Mara Triangle. Notch himself never returned from a mission to find his missing son Grimace mid 2013 in enemy territory. A year later and half later Grimace got lost during one of his excursions to find new females to take over. The remaining 3 Notches finally settled down in the Lookout Hill area, still being a formidable coalition of 3 Big Male Lions.
The final chapter of the Notches reign started mid 2016 when Ron went missing and never showed up again probably being killed by other Male Lions. A year later Ceasar developed a limp and lost condition, the reason turned out to be an abscess in his upper right hind leg. Vets treated him but 2 months later he was found being in a very bad state again hardly being able to move. He was last seen lying motionless on the banks of the Mara River close to Lookout Hill. It was not a fight with other Lions, it was not a conflict with humans, Ceasar died naturally.
With the demise of Ceasar there is only one of the Notches left, Notch II. At an age of almost 13 years and being all by himself now, his days will be numbered as younger Males already smell weakness.

The legacy of the Notches will live on as they have sired countless cubs with many of them being adults now ruling over vast areas of the Maasai Mara.
The Story of the Notches may well fill a book and may be somebody is going to write this book. It definitely is an amazing story of truly Wild Lions, strong bonds, cleverness, braveness and pure power.
Hence there is never a happy ending for a Male Lion in Africa!

*This image is copyright of its original author

Image credit to: https://www.facebook.com/NotchTheLionKin...sFiveSons/ Reply