Lions often kill leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas, but they rarely eat them. The reason is competition. All of these animals chase the same prey, and lions are the largest and strongest of the group, so they remove rivals when they can.
Here is how it works for each animal, and how each one tries to stay out of the way.
Quick Answer
- Leopards: Lions sometimes kill them, and rarely eat them.
- Cheetahs: Lions sometimes kill them, mostly cubs, and rarely eat them.
- Hyenas: Lions kill them often, and rarely eat them.
Why Lions Kill Other Predators
Killing a rival is not the same as hunting for food. Lions kill other predators to protect what they have.
A leopard, cheetah, or hyena in lion territory competes for the same zebra, wildebeest, and gazelles. These predators also steal from each other. A dead rival no longer takes prey or kills, and young predators that are killed cannot grow up to compete.
That is why lions often leave the body where it falls. The kill was about removing a threat, not getting a meal. When food is scarce, a lion may eat some of what it killed, but this is the exception.
Do Lions Eat Leopards?
Lions can and do kill leopards. Cubs and young adults are the most at risk, but a fully grown leopard that is caught in the open can die too.
Leopards survive by staying out of reach. They hunt mostly at night, live alone, and keep to thick cover and rocky ground. They also drag their kills up into trees, where lions cannot follow easily. This keeps both the food and the leopard safe.
When a lion kills a leopard, it usually leaves the body. Eating one is uncommon.
Do Lions Eat Cheetahs?
Of the three, cheetahs are the most vulnerable. They are built for speed, not fighting, and they cannot defend themselves or a kill against a lion.
Lions kill cheetahs of all ages, but cubs are hit hardest. In areas with many lions, few cheetah cubs survive to adulthood. Lions also steal cheetah kills, and a cheetah that has just run down a gazelle often loses it within minutes.
To get around this, cheetahs hunt in the daytime, when lions are resting. They also move often and stay away from areas with heavy lion traffic. As with leopards, lions usually leave a dead cheetah uneaten.
Do Lions Eat Hyenas?
Lions and hyenas are the fiercest rivals on the savanna. Many people think of hyenas as scavengers, but spotted hyenas hunt most of their own food. That puts them in direct competition with lions.
Lions kill hyenas whenever they get the chance, and they steal hyena kills. Hyenas steal from lions in return. The result is a constant struggle at carcasses.
Numbers decide most fights. A clan of hyenas can push a few lions off a kill, and clans have been known to attack lion cubs and lone lions. A group of lions, especially with adult males, will win against a smaller group of hyenas.
Lions rarely eat hyenas. Most of the time they kill them and walk away.
Who Loses Most Often?
| Animal | Killed by lions? | Eaten? | How it avoids lions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leopard | Sometimes | Rarely | Hunts at night, hides food in trees |
| Cheetah | Often, mainly cubs | Rarely | Hunts by day, avoids lion areas |
| Hyena | Often | Rarely | Hunts in clans, uses numbers |
Where You Might See This on Safari
You are unlikely to watch a lion kill another predator on a game drive. These clashes are rare to witness, and most happen at night or out of sight.
You can often see the signs, though. A leopard with its kill high in a tree, a cheetah hunting at midday, or hyenas circling a lion kill all show how the animals work around each other. The Masai Mara is a good place to watch this tension. Read more in our post on Masai Mara lions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do lions eat other big cats?
Lions kill leopards and cheetahs, but they rarely eat them. The kills are about competition, not food.
Do lions kill hyenas?
Yes. Lions kill hyenas often, and the two fight over carcasses. Hyena clans sometimes win when they outnumber lions.
Can a leopard beat a lion?
Rarely. An adult lion is much bigger and stronger. Leopards survive by avoiding lions and by climbing trees.
Do lions steal food from cheetahs?
Yes. Cheetahs often lose their kills to lions, and also to hyenas and leopards.
Lions sit at the top of the savanna, and other predators know it. They kill rivals to protect their food and cubs, but they rarely make a meal of them. Each competitor has found its own way to get by, from the leopard’s trees to the cheetah’s daytime hunts to the hyena’s clan.
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