A magnificent lioness has been nicknamed 'Blue Eye' after a fight with a warthog left her looking like she has a glass eye.
The veteran predator was wounded when the prey she was hunting pierced her eye with its tusk two years ago.
The injury now resembles a blue glass eye. But experts say it is just swollen and has turned blue due to the veins inside rising to the surface.
Taken on the Shamwari Game Reserve in South Africa, the lioness is known by local rangers to be the most formidable hunter in her pride, despite her injury.
The picture was captured by 46-year-old Sarsha Rinkovec, from Melbourne, Australia, who said: 'It was a stunning and cold afternoon with very moody rain clouds and broken sun streaming through the clouds.
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'Just before sunset, we found the lioness and her sister on the top of the hill at their hunting vantage point.
'I focussed on "blue eye" as she is so unique. She is a huge and muscular lioness and was a pleasure to photograph.'
The rangers told the amateur photographer the lioness was the matriarch of her pride and taught the other younger lions how to hunt.
Mr Rinkovec, who works as a mechanical assembler, said: 'The story the game rangers shared was that she was hurt two years ago during hunt by a warthog tusk that pierced her eye.
'The game reserve vet checked her and she has perfect health.
'The eye is not a glass eye - but is swollen and has a bluish color due to the veins being predominant. She is blind in this eye, but it does not affect her hunting or ability to be an amazing animal that continues to support herself, her cubs and her pride.'
Females are the main hunters of a lion pride, while only males hunt when the kill is big.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
