Aug 6, 2021
The pelt of a supposed “marozi” or spotted lion killed by Michael Trent (1931).
The marozi is theorized to be:
A distinct race of the African lion adapted for a montane rather than savanna-dwelling existence.
A rare natural hybrid of a leopard and lion.
An adult lion that retained its childhood spots.
It 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.