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Lioness Has a Successful Eye Operation to Save Her Sight at Mont Eco Game Reserve

Did You Know?

A lion’s night vision is eight times better than a human. This is due to the differences in the structure of their eyes. Human and lion eyes both have two kinds of receptor cells to process light. Rod receptor cells deal with black and white tones, and cone receptor cells process colours. A lion has fewer cone receptors and more rod receptors than the human eye, hence their excellent night vision. Their sight is enhanced further by a reflective coating found at the back of the eye that concentrates light to the retina, pupils that can dilate larger than ours, and the stripe of pale fur under the eye that reflects light to the retina.

Good night vision is essential to a lion as they generally hunt during the hours of darkness.

The Mont Eco Game Reserve Lions

Mont Eco presently has three lions. The two females are three and a half years old and come from the same pride, and the group’s male is four and a half years old.

Lions spend about 20 hours a day sleeping. The remaining four hours are used for hunting, eating and rough and tumble play, an essential way of honing skills and bonding as a pride.

Accidents Happen

The rangers noticed that one of the females had an injury to her eye. Ruben van Greunen, the head ranger, called Willem Burger, the veterinarian, to come and look at the lioness. Dr. Burger is a wildlife veterinarian, based in the southern Cape. He deduced that the damage was probably caused by a claw hooking and ripping her eyelid during social play. Human intervention was needed to save her eye. Interestingly, 90% of wildlife surgery is performed outside as it it usually a more sterile environment than indoors.

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The Operation

Ruben recalls the process. “We darted the lioness with a tranquiliser, and once asleep, Willem examined her and told us that her eyelid was torn, and her eye was hanging down.

While we waited for the anaesthetic to take effect, Willem explained that loud noises could startle her as it wore off and asked the staff and the two guests to remain quiet during the time with the lioness.

We lifted her onto the back of a bakkie and drove her out of the rain to a sheltered place as rain was imminent.

In a 45 minute operation, the vet removed the dead skin around her wound and then undertook the delicate task of stitching the lacerated upper eyelid. “

A few lucky guests had the privilege of watching the operation and seeing a lioness up close in a safe environment.

We are pleased to report that the swelling around her eye has gone down, the vet has removed the stitches and she is completely back to normal.

Mont Eco Game Reserve is a 6 500ha Big 5 game reserve in the Klein Karoo in the Western Cape of South Africa.

It falls with the Cape Floral Kingdom with three significant vegetation biomes and is also home to historic San Rock Art, fossil sites, and magnificent night skies.

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