Longleat Safari Park: Beryl the big cat dubbed 'flying lion'

A keeper at Longleat Safari Park has captured the dramatic moment one of their big cats leapt from a tree

Beryl the big cat
Author: Oliver MorganPublished 18th Aug 2025
Last updated 18th Aug 2025

A keeper at Longleat Safari Park has captured the dramatic moment one of their big cats leapt from a tree.

They're dubbing Beryl the big cat a 'Flying Lion'.

Ian Turner captured the stunning sequence of images which shows the power of the African lion.

Ian said: “A lion can jump up 12 feet and leap 36 feet and it’s always an impressive sight.

"I captured the image of her in the tree and then she moved, and I thought she was about to jump so had the camera ready.”

Beryl is one of Harry’s pride at Longleat and the photographs show her rippling muscles as she pauses to jump, and then mid-flight before landing safely on the ground, several feet below the branch. Beryl is nearly 12 and was born at Longleat.

There are two prides of lions at Longleat which can be seen as part of the drive-through Safari.









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