The End of an Era: The Fall of Sekekama and TornNose

The End of an Era: The Fall of Sekekama and TornNose

In December 2021, Sekekama and TornNose still reigned over the Marsh Pride. They had many sons, daughters, and even new cubs. In the last days of the month, Sekekama was seen in poor condition—he either hadn’t eaten for days or was caught in a territorial conflict in Savuti’s Sand Ridge. Fortunately, he reunited with the Marsh Pride and TornNose soon after, but everyone seemed to sense that things were about to change.

In January 2022, during the first week of the month, I remember reading a comment from a tourist saying, "New males have entered Savuti, and they are roaring." At the time, I paid little attention, thinking she meant Sekekama and TornNose. But soon, it became clear I was wrong—new lions had arrived.

By the end of January, TornNose appeared with visible injuries. He had wounds on his back, indicating that he fought the two Mababe males—Tsunami and Gaam. However, Sekekama hadn’t been spotted yet, and it was uncertain if he was present during the fight or if the invaders had only found TornNose. What’s certain is that TornNose managed to defend himself in a 2 vs. 1 battle, the same scenario he had already faced with these lions back in 2018.

For the first five months of 2022, Sekekama, TornNose, and the adolescent lionesses and young males from the Marsh Pride stuck together, while the adult lionesses remained with their cubs. During this period, Sekekama and TornNose held onto hope of reclaiming their kingdom. But things didn’t go in their favor—they appeared increasingly thin, and their bodies bore fresh wounds, showing they were still fighting.

In the last days of May, Sekekama and TornNose made the decision to move south to Mababe, just outside Savuti. Though unfamiliar territory for them, it was once ruled by Sekekama’s three brothers, who eventually disappeared—possibly hunted by humans.

They didn’t go alone—five of their sons followed them, though not directly at their side. Sekekama and TornNose eventually clashed with an adult lion and a young male who were mating with a lioness. The two old kings managed to win this fight.

Details About These Lions: The adult lion mentioned in this story still roams the area today, now holding territory with his companion. There are photos suggesting there were three males, though it seems their coalition might total six, but divided into smaller groups.

Although Sekekama and TornNose emerged injured from the battle, they recovered and mated with the lioness, resulting in new cubs. However, as more young and powerful males entered the area, the aging kings were forced to move repeatedly. Their last few months were spent wandering from place to place. Later sightings revealed they were still carrying battle scars—proof they were still trying to secure a new territory.

The last confirmed photo of Sekekama and TornNose dates back to August 2023. Mababe is an area with few safaris, and much of the land is not traversed daily by tourists, making it difficult to determine if the two old lions are still alive. There’s still a glimmer of hope, though it’s unlikely—but those familiar with the region would know. Botswana is different from other places for several reasons, though I won’t elaborate since some might take offense. I’ll just say this: tracking lions here and learning about them takes a lot of hard work.

As the rainy season approaches, if Sekekama and TornNose don’t appear in the coming months, it will likely confirm they are gone for good.

Note: I’ve also seen YouTube channels and websites claiming that Sekekama and TornNose were killed by their sons. That is a complete lie! If you read that, report it and stop following the person spreading misinformation. Only a few of us truly know the lions of Savuti, and we are all here on Facebook, not on other sites. Without the work we’ve done, no one would know what we do now about Sekekama.

Written by Maicol Guaita.

Photo taken by Mopane Safaris.