In the Thornybush Game Reserve, safari-goers witnessed a rare and dramatic encounter when an ageing male lion with a striking blue eye stole a fresh kill from a leopard.
The unusual eye gave the lion a commanding, almost mystical presence. A lion’s eye may appear blue due to injury, scarring, or even cataracts associated with age. Whatever the cause, it only seemed to add to the aura of authority this seasoned predator carried as he confidently approached the scene.
The leopard had just secured its meal and carried the carcass high into a tree, hoping to dine in safety. But the lion was hungry—and determined. Waiting at the base of the tree, he briefly locked eyes with the onlookers before turning his gaze upwards. In an extraordinary display of power, the bulky lion began to climb. Against all odds, he reached the leopard’s perch, seized the carcass, and hauled it back down.
Once on solid ground, the lion tore into the meal without hesitation, his blue eye flashing in the dappled light of the bushveld. For the leopard, it was a bitter loss, but such risks come with living alongside Africa’s apex predator. Leopards usually hoist kills into trees to avoid this very outcome, but this time, even the branches weren’t safe.
