Scarface: Story of the Most Famous Lion Ever & His Brothers
YouTube
An independent documentary on the Musketeer coalition: Scarface, Sikio, Hunter and Morani.
Deceased
Hunter
Also known as The First to Fall · Masai Mara, Kenya
c. 2007 – 2017
Born in Masai Mara, Kenya
Hunter was one of the Four Musketeers, the four related males, Scarface, Morani, Sikio and Hunter, who grew up together in Kenya’s Masai Mara and became the most famous lion coalition of their time. As young nomads the four were so alike that guides could barely tell them apart, apart from Scarface with his wounded eye.
Hunter was part of the takeover of the Marsh Pride in 2011–2012, when the brothers, only about four years old, drove out the males Romeo and Clawed, and of the conquest of the Paradise Pride in 2016. Four males holding ground together is close to unbeatable, and Hunter’s place in the coalition helped it dominate the Mara for years.
Hunter was the first of the four to die, in 2017. How he died has not been published. After his death the three remaining brothers held on along the Mara River for several more years.
~5Years of reign
~10Age at death
—Lionesses in his pride
4Males in his coalition
Profile
Identity
- Name
- Hunter
- Nicknames
- Information not available
- Origin of the name
- Information not availableAn English name; who named him and why has not been documented
- Sex
- Male
- Distinguishing features
- Information not available
- Weight
- Information not availableFor reference, adult male lions usually weigh 150–260 kg
Birth & Family
- Born
- c. 2007Some sources give 2008
- Birthplace
- Masai Mara, KenyaExact birth site not recorded
- Birth pride
- Information not available
- Father
- Believed to be one of the Notch malesNot formally confirmed
- Mother
- Information not available
- Siblings
- Scarface, Morani and Sikio (brothers / related males)
Reign
- Pride king
- Yes, member of the Four Musketeers coalition
- Prides ruled
- Marsh Pride (from 2011–2012), Paradise Pride (from 2016)
- Pride size
- Information not availableThe Paradise Pride had around nine lionesses with cubs in 2016
- Reign
- About 5–6 years (c. 2012 – 2017)
- Ruled with
- Scarface, Morani and Sikio
- Coalition
- The Four Musketeers
- Home range
- Musiara Marsh, Paradise Plains and the Mara River, Masai Mara
- Territory size
- Information not available
Death
- Died
- 2017Some sources give 2018
- Age at death
- About 10 years
- Cause of death
- Information not availableThe cause of his death has not been published
- Place of death
- Information not availableMasai Mara, Kenya; exact place not recorded
- Burial
- Information not available
Names & Meanings
HunterName
An English name meaning one who hunts. Who chose it and why has not been documented.
The First to FallTitle
Because he was the first of the Four Musketeers to die.
Family & Lineage
Believed fatherThe Notch malesGuides believe the Musketeers were fathered by the Notch males. This is not formally confirmed.View record →
LionessMotherHer identity has not been publicly documented.
The First to FallHunterc. 2007 – 2017
BrotherScarfaceThe most famous of the four. Died of old age in June 2021.View record →BrotherMoraniThe last of the four. Disappeared around 2023.View record →BrotherSikioDied after a fight with rival males.View record →Cubs of the coalitionOffspringThe Musketeers fathered cubs in the prides they ruled. Individual sons of Hunter have not been formally documented.
Life Story
- c. 2007
Born in the Masai Mara, one of four related males who grew up together.
- 2011 – 2012
With his brothers, took the Marsh Pride from Romeo and Clawed.
- 2016
The Four Musketeers took over the Paradise Pride.
- 2017
Died, the first of the four brothers to go. The cause has not been published.
- After 2017
Scarface, Morani and Sikio continued to hold ground along the Mara River.
Legend & Truth
Story, not science: “the pursuer”
Some safari websites describe Hunter as the coalition’s pursuer, perhaps because of his name. No research or film records such a role.
The forgotten Musketeer
Hunter died years before Scarface became world famous, so very little about his own life was ever recorded or photographed under his name.
Photographs
Photograph coming soon
Photograph coming soon
Photograph coming soon
Film
The film of The First to Fall’s life is coming soon
Animation
An animated story of The First to Fall’s life is coming soon
Documentaries & Features
Scarface: The 4 Musketeers
YouTube
The story of one of the most famous lion coalitions of the Masai Mara.
Sources
Where sources disagree, the most widely reported figure is shown, with other reports noted beneath it.