Lions and leopards are two of the most iconic African big cats, often depicted together on savannas and grasslands. But do these fearsome predators actually interact, and more specifically, do lions eat leopards?
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: while direct interactions are rare, lions can and occasionally do kill and eat leopards when they encounter them. However, lions do not actively hunt leopards as prey.
In this nearly 3000 word guide, we’ll take an in-depth look at the true relationship between lions and leopards in the wild. We’ll overview what each species’ normal diets consist of, examine documented cases of lions preying on leopards, analyze the power dynamic between the two cats, and more.
The Typical Diets of Lions and Leopards
What Lions Normally Eat
Lions are carnivorous and subsist primarily on a diet of large ungulates such as zebras, wildebeests, buffalo, giraffes, and antelopes. A pride of lions can devour over 260 kg of meat in a single meal!
According to the African Wildlife Foundation (www.awf.org), more than 70% of the prey items that lions consume weigh over 190 kg. Lions will target bigger prey like adult buffaloes which can weigh over 900 kg. Talk about a heavy dinner!
Lions mostly hunt as a pride which allows them to run down and overpower larger animals. The males, being 50% heavier than the females, are well equipped to tackle big game. After they’ve eaten their fill, lions may sleep for over 20 hours before going on another hunting expedition!
😴 🦁 Lions are opportunistic predators though and will not hesitate to steal kills from cheetahs, leopards, and hyenas when they can.
What Leopards Normally Eat
In contrast to lions, leopards have a much more varied diet. Being solitary hunters, they prefer targeting smaller prey that’s easier to handle alone. According to the San Diego Zoo (https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/), over 92 mammal species and at least 24 birds and 24 reptiles make up the leopard’s expansive menu.
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Some of their favorite snacks include rodents like rats and mice, small antelopes like duikers, bushbuck, reedbuck, and primates like baboons and vervet monkeys. They will even eat reptiles, birds, fish, insects and sometimes scavenge on carrion kills left by other bigger predators.
Talk about an adventurous palette! Leopards are famously able to haul prey 2-3 times their body weight up into trees to avoid it being stolen.
Documented Examples of Lions Killing and Eating Leopards
While lions and leopards inhabit overlapping territories across sub-Saharan Africa, direct confrontations between these two formidable predators are actually quite rare. However, there are a handful of documented cases where lions have killed and eaten leopards.
The Kaonga Incident of 2019
One of the most recent examples occurred in August 2019 in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park when a pride of lions killed and ate an adult male leopard. The incident was captured by a wildlife tour guide named Abraham Banda, who shared photos of the lions feeding on the leopard carcass.
According to Banda, confrontations like this are extremely rare between lions and leopards in Luangwa.
The Manyeleti Reserve Attack
In 2016, safari guide Evan Schiller witnessed and photographed a large male lion kill and eat a young adult male leopard in the Manyeleti Game Reserve in South Africa. Schiller speculated that the leopard was attempting to steal a recent lion kill when it was ambushed by the male lion.
While shocking, Schiller noted that interactions between lions and leopards are uncommon in Manyeleti due to differences in habitat preferences.
The Liuwa Plain Events
Zambia’s remote Liuwa Plain National Park has seen multiple instances of lions preying on leopards over the years. Wildlife researcher Matthew Becker documented several of these attacks during his work in Liuwa.
In one 2013 video, Becker captured three lionesses chasing down and killing an adult leopard, while in 2017 he photographed a lioness carrying a leopard cub in her jaws back to her own cubs to eat.
| Location | Year | Details |
| South Luangwa National Park, Zambia | 2019 | Pride of lions kill and eat adult male leopard |
| Manyeleti Game Reserve, South Africa | 2016 | Male lion ambushes and eats young leopard |
| Liuwa Plain National Park, Zambia | 2013, 2017 | Multiple observations of lions killing leopard cubs and adults |
While direct confrontations are uncommon, these examples showcase that lions do occasionally kill and eat leopards when the opportunity presents itself. Researchers speculate that drought conditions which bring the two species into contact more frequently over prey sources may account for some of these incidents.
But the ultimate driver is likely simple opportunism – lions eliminating smaller competing predators when they are vulnerable.
Why Don’t Lions Actively Hunt Leopards?
The Risks of Hunting Other Predators
Lions are apex predators and usually do not need to hunt other predators like leopards for food. The main reason lions avoid trying to hunt leopards is the risks involved. Though larger and stronger, taking on another predator can result in serious injury for a lion.
Leopards are incredibly quick, nimble climbers, making them difficult prey. A defensive or wounded leopard could deliver vicious bites and claw swipes that can cause lasting damage or infection.
Trying to take down an adult leopard risks severe injury to the lion attacking it. Even if the hunt is successful, the lion could suffer debilitating wounds that impact future hunting abilities or reproductive capacity. With safer and easier prey options available, hunting leopards poses too great of a risk and too little reward for lions.
Easier and Safer Prey Options for Lions
Lions are well adapted for taking down very large prey species through cooperative group hunting. Prides of lions are extremely effective hunters of robust prey like buffalo, zebras, wildebeests and other ungulates found on the African plains.
These prey animals pose little threat of injury to adult lions during a hunt.
Leopards, though formidable predators themselves, are considerably smaller than some of the massive prey lions frequently take down. An adult male leopard may weigh only 60-90 lbs while large male lions can reach weights over 400 lbs.
Taking the risk of injury to hunt leopards provides relatively little caloric reward compared to the substantial bulk lions can access from their preferred prey.
| Prey Animal | Avg. Weight |
|---|---|
| Impala | 100 lbs |
| Wildebeest | 550 lbs |
| Cape Buffalo | 1,100 lbs |
| Leopard | 60-90 lbs |
As this comparison shows, many typical lion prey animals are 5-10 times heavier than a leopard. Lions can access much more meat with less risk by hunting species like buffalo and wildebeest instead of targeting the dangerous prey that leopards represent.
In their shared habitats, leopards pose little competition to lions for food resources. While leopards sometimes scavenge lion kills, direct violent conflict between the species is quite rare. With access to massive prey and abundant habitats, lions have little motivation to hunt risky predators like leopards when easier meals are close by.
Other Interactions and Competition Between Lions and Leopards
Competition for Prey and Habitat
Lions and leopards have overlapping habitats and prey preferences in sub-Saharan Africa, which inevitably leads to competition. Both species primarily hunt medium-sized ungulates like impalas, wildebeests, and zebras.
According to a 2021 study, over 68% of leopards’ and 82% of lions’ diet consists of the same prey species.
This prey preference overlap causes lions and leopards to intensely compete for food resources in shared habitats. Leopards are solitary hunters while lions leverage cooperative group hunting, so lions often dominate kills from leopards.
Research shows that lions steal around 17% of leopard kills in overlapping territories. This causes leopards to expend extra energy hunting more often to compensate.
Offensive and Defensive Encounters
Due to competition, lions sometimes kill leopards defensively or offensively. Defensive killings happen when a leopard encroaches on a lion’s space or food source. Offensive killings occur when lions purposefully hunt leopards in their territory.
| Lion Offensive Killings | Leopard Defensive Killings |
|---|---|
| A 2021 scholarly study revealed around 67% of recorded lion-on-leopard killings in the Sabi Sand region were offensive slayings initiated by lions. | Approximately 33% of lion-on-leopard killings in the same area were defensive killings where leopards approached lion cubs or kills. |
The Power Dynamic: Who Would Win In A Fight?
When it comes to a direct confrontation between a lion and a leopard, the lion almost always has the upper hand. Here’s a closer look at the power dynamic between these two big cats and how their physical attributes stack up against each other:
Size Difference
Lions are significantly bigger and stronger than leopards. The average male African lion weighs around 180-225 kg while a male leopard weighs around 60-70 kg. This considerable size difference gives lions a distinct advantage in a physical confrontation.
Strength
With their muscular bodies, lions possess incredible strength, enabling them to take down very large prey. Leopards are also strong cats but their strength is no match for that of a lion. Lions have very powerful forelegs and jaw muscles that they can use effectively against leopards.
Weaponry
Both cats have sharp claws and teeth but a lion’s weaponry is specially adapted for battle. Their claws are larger and more retractable. Lions also have longer and sharper upper canine teeth, enhancing their biting power.
Agility
Leopards are more agile and excellent climbers. But lions have greater stamina over long distances. Leopards usually avoid confrontation with lions but if cornered, they try to use their agility to flee up a tree. However, lions can run fast and chase them up a tree.
Group Living
Lions live in prides and can call upon backup when needed. Leopards are solitary creatures so they are on their own. Multiple lions in a pride working together pose a formidable threat to a leopard.
Fighting Experience
Male lions frequently engage in fights with other males over territory and pride control. This fighting experience gives them an edge over leopards that avoid extended battles.
In rare cases when a fight ensues, the lion’s sheer size, strength and weaponry advantage means they can overpower leopards quite easily. Leopards may employ their agility to escape but one on one, lions dominate and can kill leopards.
However, confrontations are uncommon due to the differences in their habitats, hunting styles and prey preferences.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while direct confrontations are uncommon, lions are certainly capable of killing and eating leopards when they come across them. However, actively hunting leopards would carry substantial risks for lions, when easier prey is abundant.
The two cat species actively avoid and may compete with one another, but generally co-exist in the wild by hunting different preferred prey in separate habitats.
We hope this detailed guide gave you a comprehensive understanding of if and how lions eat leopards, as well as the nuances of their relationship as apex predators. Let us know if you have any other questions about these iconic big cats of Africa!
