Fate unknown

Hildur

Also known as Ziggy · The Golden-Maned Partner

c. 2004 – unknown

Born in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Hildur was a golden-maned male lion of Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and the only coalition partner of C-Boy. Guides knew the pair as Bob and Ziggy. Together they were followed for two years by National Geographic writer David Quammen and photographer Michael “Nick” Nichols, and their story appeared in the magazine in August 2013.

Quammen described Hildur as handsome and always eager to mate, but far less keen to fight. When three males of the Killers coalition attacked C-Boy in 2009, Hildur was seen running away, leaving C-Boy to face them almost alone. Yet the bond between the two endured: they moved east together, took over the Vumbi and Simba East prides, and in the rain were photographed licking the water from each other’s fur.

Hildur became famous for his long runs across the plains. Nichols photographed him running about five miles to reach his other pride after it had made a kill. When C-Boy died in June 2018, Hildur, also around 14, was still alive. What happened to him after that has not been documented.

—Years of reign

—Age at death

~10Lionesses in his prides

2Males in his coalition

Profile

Identity

Name: Hildur
Nicknames: Ziggy
Origin of the name: Information not availableThe name is Old Norse and means battle; who named him has not been documented
Sex: Male
Distinguishing features: Golden, streaked mane
Weight: Information not availableFor reference, adult male lions usually weigh 150–260 kg

Birth & Family

Born: c. 2004National Geographic described him as eight years old during its fieldwork around 2012
Birthplace: Serengeti National Park, TanzaniaExact birth site not recorded
Birth pride: Information not available
Father: Information not available
Mother: Information not available
Siblings: Information not availableWhether he was related to C-Boy has not been documented

Reign

Pride king: Yes, resident pride male alongside C-Boy
Prides ruled: Jua Kali (until 2009), then Vumbi and Simba East
Pride size: About 10 lionessesFive adult lionesses in the Vumbi pride and five in Simba East (2013)
Reign: Information not availableResident male from at least 2009 into the mid-2010s; exact dates not recorded
Ruled with: C-Boy
Coalition: C-Boy & Hildur
Home range: Seronera river area (Jua Kali), then the Zebra Kopjes and the eastern Serengeti plains
Territory size: Information not available

Death

Died: Information not availableStill alive in August 2018; no later record has been published
Age at death: Information not available
Cause of death: Information not available
Place of death: Information not available
Burial: Information not available

Names & Meanings

HildurGiven name

An Old Norse name meaning battle, used by the Serengeti Lion Project. Who chose it has not been documented; ironically, Hildur was known more for mating than for fighting.

ZiggyNickname used by guides

Paired with C-Boy’s nickname, Bob. Ziggy is also the name of Bob Marley’s eldest son; whether guides chose it for that reason has not been documented.

Family & Lineage

UnknownFatherHis father has not been publicly documented.

UnknownMotherHis mother has not been publicly documented.

ZiggyHildurc. 2004 – unknown

Coalition partnerC-BoyKnown to guides as Bob. Survived the Killers and died in June 2018 at about 14.View record →

OffspringCubs of the coalitionWith C-Boy he fathered cubs in the Jua Kali, Vumbi and Simba East prides. In a coalition, which male fathered which cub is usually unknown; Snyggve and Marley are generally credited to C-Boy.

Life Story

c. 2004
Born in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania.
By 2009
Resident male, with C-Boy, of the small Jua Kali pride near the source of the Seronera river.
August 2009
When the Killers attacked C-Boy, Hildur was seen fleeing. The pair lost the Jua Kali pride and moved east together.
After 2009
Took over the Vumbi pride at the Zebra Kopjes and the Simba East pride with C-Boy.
2012
Photographed by Nick Nichols running about five miles across the plains to reach his other pride after a kill.
2013
Featured in National Geographic’s “The Short Happy Life of a Serengeti Lion”. A photo of Hildur and C-Boy in the rain, “Sharing a shower”, was shown in Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
June 2018
C-Boy died. Hildur, around 14, was still alive.
After 2018
No published record of his later life or death.

Legend & Truth

The lover, not the fighter

National Geographic described Hildur as a male who showed great eagerness to mate but little to fight, and he fled when the Killers attacked C-Boy. Even so, the two stayed together for the rest of C-Boy’s life.