Old Green Eyes – A true survivor

When we started our Planet Okavango Project, there was a leopard in the area we were based called “Green Eyes” with the most incredible coloured eyes I have ever seen. The better the light, the better colour the eyes became for photography. End of last year a good 3 years since I photographed her last, I asked one of the guides from a nearby lodge when was the last time he saw her? Apparently she was killed, (a rumour), by lions, as well as her cub. He saw how the lions tore her leg off etc. Nobody saw her for months, so everybody assumed she was dead. To our surprise 6 months later we bumped into a leopard lying under a bush with the last rays of afternoon sunlight on her face licking her back paw. She was licking a “stumpy.” Clearly she lost a limb, but here was “Green Eyes”, very much alive. Survived a lion attack, and looking in good condition, with only 3 legs. Nature is a wonderful thing! A true survivor!