Coalition · Ended

C-Boy & Hildur

Also known as Bob & Ziggy · Serengeti, Tanzania

by 2009 – 2018

Origin: Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

C-Boy and Hildur were a two-male coalition in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, made famous by National Geographic’s 2013 story “The Short Happy Life of a Serengeti Lion”. Guides knew them as Bob and Ziggy. National Geographic described Hildur as the calmer of the two.

By 2009 they were the resident males of the small Jua Kali pride, but in August that year C-Boy was badly beaten by three males of the Killers coalition, and the pair lost the pride. They moved east and took over the larger Vumbi pride at the Zebra Kopjes, together with the Simba East pride, five adult lionesses each by 2013. Hildur was photographed running five miles across the plains to reach his other pride after it had made a kill.

C-Boy died of natural causes in early June 2018 at about 14; Hildur was still alive at the time. Their sons Bob Junior (Snyggve) and Marley (Tryggve) went on to rule the Namiri Plains for about seven years.

Members

Bob · the survivor C-Boy c. 2004 – June 2018 Survived the Killers and lived to about 14. Read the full record

Ziggy · the runner Hildur c. 2004 – unknown Still alive in August 2018; his later fate has not been documented. Read the full record

2Members

—Years of reign

3Prides ruled

2018End of reign

Profile

Coalition

Members: C-Boy (Bob) and Hildur (Ziggy)
Relationship: Information not availableWhether the two males were related has not been documented
Origin / birthplace: Serengeti National Park, TanzaniaBoth born around 2004
How it formed: Information not available

Reign

Area: Seronera river area (Jua Kali), then the Zebra Kopjes and the eastern Serengeti plains
Prides ruled: Jua Kali (until 2009), Vumbi and Simba East
Took over from: Information not available
Reign: Information not availableFrom at least 2009 into the mid-2010s; exact dates not recorded
Territory size: Information not available

End

End of the coalition: C-Boy died in early June 2018
Successors: Information not availableTheir sons Bob Junior (Snyggve) and Marley (Tryggve) later ruled the Namiri Plains; this was not a direct handover

Names & Meanings

C-Boy & HildurResearch names

The names used by the Serengeti Lion Project. Hildur is an Old Norse name meaning battle.

Bob & ZiggyNames used by guides

Bob after the reggae singer Bob Marley, for C-Boy’s dark mane. Ziggy is also the name of Bob Marley’s eldest son; whether guides chose it for that reason has not been documented.

Story of the Coalition

By 2009
Resident males of the Jua Kali pride near the source of the Seronera river.
August 2009
The Killers attacked C-Boy and drove the pair out of Jua Kali.
After 2009
Took over the Vumbi pride at the Zebra Kopjes and the Simba East pride.
c. 2010
C-Boy’s sons Bob Junior (Snyggve) and Marley (Tryggve) were born.
2011 – 2013
Followed by Nick Nichols and David Quammen for National Geographic.
December 2012
The Killers crossed their territory; C-Boy went missing for three days and was found alive on 17 December.
Early June 2018
C-Boy died at about 14. Hildur was still alive.