Big Cat Diary / Big Cat Live
BBC
The Marsh Pride under Romeo and Clawed.
Coalition · Ended
Romeo and Clawed
Also known as The Ridge Males · Masai Mara, Kenya
2007 – c. 2011/12
Origin: Rhino Ridge area, Masai Mara (Ridge Pride, reported)
Romeo and Clawed were male lions from the Rhino Ridge area of Kenya’s Masai Mara who, with a third male, Pavarotti, formed a coalition of Ridge Pride males. They are part of the long line of males who ruled the Marsh Pride, the pride made famous by the BBC’s Big Cat Diary.
In 2005 the three killed Light Mane, Notch’s coalition partner, leaving Notch to hold the Marsh alone. In March or April 2007 they finally drove Notch out; he left with his five young sons and went on to found the Notch Coalition. Pavarotti later disappeared, and Romeo and Clawed ruled the Marsh Pride until the Four Musketeers, including Scarface, took over around 2011–2012.
Their fates have not been published, but followers trace several later Mara males to them.
Members
R
Partner
Romeo
? – ?
Fate not published.
Read the full record
C
Partner
Clawed
? – ?
Fate not published.
Read the full record
P
Third male
Pavarotti
? – ?
Disappeared after the takeover.
Record coming soon
3Males at first
2007Took the Marsh
~5Years of reign
1Notch partner killed
Profile
Coalition
- Members
- Romeo, Clawed and Pavarotti
- Relationship
- Information not availableNot published
- Origin / birthplace
- Rhino Ridge area, Masai Mara (Ridge Pride, reported)
- How it formed
- Information not available
Reign
- Area
- Musiara Marsh and Rhino Ridge
- Prides ruled
- Marsh Pride
- Took over from
- Notch (2007)
- Reign
- About 4–5 years (2007 – c. 2011/12)
- Territory size
- Information not available
End
- End of the coalition
- Replaced by the Four Musketeers
- Successors
- The Four Musketeers
Names & Meanings
Romeo, Clawed and PavarottiNames
Names used by guides and the Big Cat Diary team.
Story of the Coalition
- 2005
Killed Light Mane, Notch’s partner.
- March – April 2007
Drove Notch out of the Marsh Pride.
- 2007 – c. 2011
Ruled the Marsh Pride.
- c. 2011 – 2012
Replaced by the Four Musketeers.
Legend & Truth
A provoked fight
Jonathan Scott later said conservationists had made a mistake in luring the Ridge males towards the Marsh, which led to Light Mane’s death.
Photographs
Photograph coming soon
Photograph coming soon
Photograph coming soon
Film
The film of Romeo and Clawed is coming soon
Animation
An animated story of Romeo and Clawed is coming soon
Documentaries & Features
Sources
Where sources disagree, the most widely reported figure is shown, with other reports noted beneath it.