"Iconic" lion Bob Junior, known as "King of the Serengeti," killed by rivals

A lion named Bob Junior, who was known as the "King of the Serengeti," was killed by rival lions on Saturday, CBS News partner network BBC News reported. The fearsome big cat, also known as Snyggve, had dominated his territory for seven years alongside his brother, Tryggve, who is also presumed dead.

"These incidents normally happen when the head of a pride becomes old or sometimes when the other male lions are not happy with his control over a large territory," Fredy Shirima, a Serengeti conservation officer, told the BBC.

The Serengeti is home to approximately 3,000 lions. National Georgraphic reports adult males can up to around 12 years.