The iconic nomad lion, Jesse, died after a territorial fight with a rival pride in the Maasai Mara.

In a tribute by the Mara Predator Conservation Programme (MCPC), Jesse was badly beaten and succumbed to his injuries some hours later.

“What a magnificent lion he was,” MCPC said.

Jesse was born in the Cheli pride in MNC, and MPCP first got to know him when he was still a youngster within his pride. We estimated his birth to be in early 2011.

Further, esse and his brother Frank left the Cheli Pride in 2014, and we were the first to document the duo taking over the Offbeat Pride in May 2014, after a very short dispersal period both in time and space.

Jesse and Frank successfully raised one set of offspring during their pride tenure, and although all their sons have either died or gone missing, their daughters are successfully continuing the Offbeat pride.

 Jesse had to vacate the Offbeat pride when Frank went missing in 2016, forcing Jesse to begin a nomadic life and live as a nomad until his death.

He was seen several times in Naboisho, Olare-Motorogi conservancies, and the National Reserve. Jesse eventually ventured back to MNC towards the beginning of 2023.

He ended his days when he started as a proud male, in MNC’s Offbeat area, after a fatal fight with the current Offbeat males, the Engoyanai males.