Stranded Lion Gets Attacked by Hippos

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

Hippos in the water. Image by besphoto via Depositphotos

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

male lion — African Lion. Image by Luke Seago via Pexels

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?

YouTube video — “Stranded Lion Gets Surrounded & Attacked By Hippos,” Uploaded: YouTube, Source: Latest Sightings

Updated: 4 August 2024

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Linnea H, BSc Sociology

Author at Animals Around The Globe. BSc Sociology

Linnea is a born and bred Swede but spends as much time as possible in Cape Town, South Africa. This is mainly due to Cape Town’s extraordinary scenery, wildlife, and atmosphere (in other words, because Cape Town is heaven on earth.) That being said, Sweden’s majestic forests forever hold a special place in her heart. Linnea spends as much time as she can close to the ocean collecting sea shells or in the park admiring puppies.

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