Lion whose eye was gouged out in a brutal battle resembles villain in Disney's Lion King

 Posted on February 18, 2024  |  2 minutes  |  388 words  |  Reinaldo Massengill

A lion whose eye was gouged out in a brutal battle bears a striking resemblance to the villain in Disney's Lion King.

'One Eye' - a 440 pound seven-year-old beast - was captured on camera in Khwai, Botswana, by local photographer and nature guide Shaun Malan, 39.

The lion was left with a gaping wound over his right eye following a battle with an unknown foe. 

The four-foot tall big cat would relax and let Mr Malan come as close as ten feet away to take his photos.

Mr Malan said:  'Only a few days later he was out chasing zebras again.

 'I think it was impaled by a buffalo horn, or perhaps from a dominance fight with another male lion.'

The wound could be prone to infection, leaving the beast at risk of death. 

Mr Malan added: 'Maggots should help a lot with the healing process, and hopefully One Eye will pull through. Lions have an incredible sense of healing; they survive things you think they'd never survive.

'I first met this lion in a coalition in 2014, there were five of them before two new males came in a year ago and chased them all out and killed quite a few of their cubs.

'Sadly we think we also lost one of One Eye's brothers as well.'

'One Eye' - a 440 pound seven-year-old lion - had his eye gouged out in a brutal battle in Botswana One Eye has to squint to properly see as he prowls for prey

'One Eye' - a 440 pound seven-year-old lion - had his eye gouged out in a brutal battle in Botswana. One Eye has to squint to properly see as he prowls for prey

Lookalike: One Eye bared a striking resemblance to Scar, the villain in Disney's Lion King, after his eye was injured in battle

Lookalike: One Eye bared a striking resemblance to Scar, the villain in Disney's Lion King, after his eye was injured in battle

One Eye squints as he plays with a tiny cub resembling Simba from the Disney film. Mr Malan thinks the eye was impaled by a buffalo horn or damaged in a fight with another male lion

One Eye squints as he plays with a tiny cub resembling Simba from the Disney film. Mr Malan thinks the eye was impaled by a buffalo horn or damaged in a fight with another male lion

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Share Before: One Eye was captured on camera before his terrible injury in Khwai, Botswana, by local photographer Shaun Malan, 39

Before: One Eye was captured on camera before his terrible injury in Khwai, Botswana, by local photographer Shaun Malan, 39

Mr Malan said: 'Only a few days later he was out chasing zebras again.' Pictured: One Eye wading through some water in Botswana

Mr Malan said: 'Only a few days later he was out chasing zebras again.' Pictured: One Eye wading through some water in Botswana

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