The lion just wanted to catch a tan. Unfortunately, he may have not chosen the best spot to do so, as he was soon surrounded by a herd of hippos – yikes!
A Precarious Situation
Imagine this: you’re out in the wild, soaking up some sunlight, when suddenly the calm is shattered by the unmistakable roars of a herd of hippos.
Hippos may look soft and squishy, but their bite force measures 12,600 kPa. For comparison, a lion’s bite force is only 4,500 kPa. I most certainly would not want to get in between a hippo’s jaws. Further, hippos are responsible for more human deaths in Africa than any other large animal on the continent is.
The Lion’s Predicament
Now, lions are cats, and if you have ever owned a cat, you’ll know they’re not the biggest fans of water. So why this particular lion chose to lie on a rock out a little way off shore is anyone’s guess. Perhaps his mom told him not to, so he did anyway?
Not only was the lion stranded with water on all sides, the water being named Crocodile River, because of course it is, but a herd of hippos were quickly approaching. These big guys are powerful swimmers, capable of swimming at speeds of 8 mph (12 km/h). Through my research I couldn’t find out how fast lions can swim, and I suppose that’s because they don’t, really.
The Absolute Drama
The lion was perched precariously on the rock, and the hippos encroached, likely to be at least a little annoyed at this kitty invading their territory. The tension in the air was palpable, one hippo lurched forward: “who’s the king of the jungle now?” he probably didn’t say, because I doubt they’ve seen The Lion King. The lion no longer had much of a choice, it was either swim or sink.
Lessons Were Learnt
I doubt the lion will be visiting that rock again anytime soon. Also, don’t tell his mom what happened, okay?
Updated: 4 August 2024
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Friday 18th of August 2023
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