Lion whose eye was gouged out in a brutal battle resembles villain in Disney's Lion King
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
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
RELATED ARTICLES
Are our zoos facing extinction? With no visitors and food... 
Fate of two lions who viciously attacked a female zookeeper... 
Holiday snap! Moment tourist almost gets savaged by angry...
Share this article
Share
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
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pa3IpbCmmZmhe6S7ja6iaKaVrMBwrdGtoJyklWKFdIWQbXByZ3yevK95xLKcZp%2BfqrSmsIybqa6skaF6o63TraOeZaKawKa5waWcrGWmnrmtrcinZH2ho6Oyur%2BMhaCopl2Atq%2BzjaGrpqQ%3D