Marozi

Marozi, from Kikuyu tribes, means "spotted lion" because of natural spots in the skin of the lion.

• Singular: Marozi, Marozi Lion, Spotted Lion, Forest Lion

• Plural: Marozis, Marozi Lions, Spotted Lions, Forest Lions

The Marozi is believed to have been smaller than a lion, but slightly larger in size than a leopard and lacking any distinguishable mane. It has been reported in the wild and the skin of a specimen exists, but it has yet to be confirmed as either a separate species or subspecies.

As a strong predator, the Marozi is thought to possess the same powerful bite and claws as other lions. It possessed both stealth and camouflage, as their spotted coat may offer superior hiding in grassland mosaics and alpine woods. Like lions and leopards, the Marozi are nocturnal hunters who have adapted to rough terrain and may be more nimble than conventional savanna lions. They hunt at night or dawn.

Like lions, the Marozi eat antelopes, mountain buffalo, bushbuck, smaller mammals, and occasionally berries and flowers. In highland habitats, their ecological niche may have overlapped with that of leopards as an apex predator. The Marozi would have assisted in controlling herbivore numbers in montane and potentially flatland environments if they were real.

The Marozi was a mysterious cat that doesn't even exist. According to some scientists, observations may have been of young lions whose markings had not yet gone. Marozis may have been a tiny, isolated group of lions adapted to cold, high-altitude forests, in contrast to their savanna-dwelling relatives. Although it is biologically improbable, local people in Kenya and neighboring countries may have blended tales of lions and leopards into a single legend because of its hybrid characteristics. There is no physical specimen or DNA evidence to support its existence, despite these hypotheses.

Due to their status as a subspecies or "cryptid," the Marozis were solitary or lived in tiny family groups (unlike the big prides of savanna lions). They were also territorial, marking their territory with roars and scent, though they may have been quieter than lowland lions. The lion's temperament is described as cautious and evasive, avoiding both humans and broad savannas. They are primarily nocturnal and use the cover of rocks and forests for ambushes.

In contrast to its savanna and grassland counterparts, the Marozi were shy and non-aggressive; there are no reported attacks, if any, and they probably avoided human contact because of their mountain habitat.

The Aberdare Mountains and Mount Kenya in central Kenya were among the areas where the Marozi were reported. Montane woods, bamboo thickets, alpine meadows, and high grasslands (altitudes 6,000–10,000 feet) comprised their habitat type. If true, this species' climate—which was colder, mistier, and wetter than typical lion habitats—could account for its smaller stature and diminished mane.

All subspecies of the lion (except for Marozi and Nemean Lion) will share their locations and habitats.

• Movement Pattern: Random

• Individual Type: Solo/Pride

• Population Trend: Stable

• Population: ???

• Locomotion: Terrestrial

• Habitat: Taiga; Montane Grasslands and Shrublands; Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests; Temperate Deciduous Forests, Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Tropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Grasslands; Tropical Savannas and Shrublands; Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub; Deserts and Xeric Shrublands; Badlands; Flooded Grasslands and Savannas; Swamp; Bayous/Billabongs; Graveyard Vale; Mountain.

• Earth: see below

  • Extant (Resident): Kenya

  • Possibly Extant (Seasonally Uncertain): Angola; Benin; Botswana; Burkina Faso; Cameroon; Central African Republic; Chad; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Eswatini; Ethiopia; Malawi; Mozambique; Namibia; Niger; Nigeria; Senegal; Somalia; South Africa; South Sudan; Sudan; Tanzania, United Republic of; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe

  • Possibly Extirpated: Ivory Coast; Ghana; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Mali; Rwanda; Togo

  • Extinct: Algeria; Burundi; Congo; Djibouti; Egypt; Eritrea; Gabon; Gambia; Lesotho; Libya; Mauritania; Morocco; Saudi Arabia; Sierra Leone; Syria; Tunisia; Turkey; Western Sahara

Alpha Marozi cannot be tamed when it is an adult stage. Only in cub one was notable exceptions. Can be tamed the abandoned kitten using any raw fish or milk.

The Marozi lion was never raised or domesticated by humans. It would have been unfriendly, cautious, and wild if it had ever existed. Therefore, it is unfriendly, untrainable, and unsuitable for pets. Also, since it's a cryptid, its existence as a wild predator is uncertain, and it would be dangerous if real.

Coming soon

• Somali: abasambo

• Swahili: ntararago, bakanga, bung-bung, foulempou, ikimizi, ruturargo

• Kinyarwanda: ikimizi

• Coming soon

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marozi

• https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Marozi

• https://cryptidarchives.fandom.com/wiki/Marozi

• https://www.deviantart.com/ognimdo2002/art/Marozi-876559948