20/11/2020
Maasai Mara Game Reserve is mourning the oldest and iconic lion nicknamed “Lolparpit” who died of old age after a 15-years reign in the jungle.
Lolparpit & Olbarnoti
Maasai Mara’s legendary lion ‘Lolparpit’ meaning big hair has died of old age. The famous lion took its last bow on November 18. The lion has been the favourite of most tourists visiting the reserve.
Lolparpit has reigned in the iconic game reserve for 15 years. The Mara king leaves behind his brother ‘Olbarnoti’ which means youngster who is also well known in the reserve. Lolparpit and Olbarnoti were born in 2005 into the Ridge Pride.
His body was discovered by a tour driver on the edges of Lolparpit’s vast territory.
Lolparpit has been eulogized by conservationists as the oldest lion in the Mara, strong and mighty.
The fallen king has been one of the two dominant males in the Olare Orok Conservancy. Together with his brother Olbarnoti, he moved between the Moniko and Enkoyonai Prides. Lolparpit had a bigger mane than Olbarnoti and also a blacker nose.
Lolparpit & Olbarnoti
In 2008 the two brothers took over a new pride called the Enkoyonai that had settled down in the northwestern part of the Olare Orok Conservancy.
Full of adventure and just like a King, In 2010 Lolparpit and Olbarnoti conquered another pride known as Moniko and kicked out two old Moniko males Mzee and Lolalai.
The two brothers now ruled over the entire Olare Orok Conservancy until mid-2011 when Olchorre and Naengop of the Double Crossing /Ridge Pride took over though it was not without a fight.
In 2015, five Rekero Pride males invaded the Double Crossing area and the eastern parts of Olare Motorogi chasing away Lolparpit and Olbarnoti.
The two brothers are grandfathers as their two set of sons have and are still siring off-springs. Both have many daughters and sons in the reserve. The sons are the four Off-beat pride males, the six Bila–Shaka males, and the six Enkoyonai males.