Lions chasing off a hippo is a rare and dramatic event, as hippos are among the most dangerous and powerful animals in Africa.
This kind of encounter usually happens near waterholes or rivers, especially during the dry season when territories overlap and water becomes scarce.
Mfundo Nyambi filmed the rare sighting and sent it to Latest Sightings, recognising its significance.
Lion pride emerges in full view of spectators
A pride of lions walked in unison through the bushveld terrain. Their gaze was focused, and they appeared to be on a mission.
Their movements were coordinated, as with lions, the strength is often in the pride.
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Lion prides are fascinating social groups with complex dynamics and behaviours. Lions will fiercely defend their pride’s territory, using loud roars to signal their presence and deter rivals.
A hippo had invaded this pride’s territory. These lions weren’t too happy about this.
They sought to do something about it!
Lions stalk hippo in the distance
The pride marched towards the hippo, which by this time had discerned the threat. The hippo was out of the covering of water, and stood vulnerable in the open.
Although they spend most of the day in water to keep cool and protect their sensitive skin from the sun, hippos do at times leave the water to graze.
Hippos can even travel several kilometres inland in search of grass, which is their primary food source. They usually leave the water in the nighttime and will return to the water by early morning.
Despite their bulky appearance, they are surprisingly fast and can be very dangerous on land if threatened or startled.
It is not normal behaviour for a hippo to leave the water during the day, however a hippo might leave the water during the day for a few unusual but important reasons.
For example, it may leave the water to search for new, safer territory. Sometimes an injured hippo may rest on land away from others, though this leaves them vulnerable.
Still, daytime land movement is risky for hippos because their skin can dry and crack in the sun. A hippo on land during the day often signals that something is wrong in its environment.
The hippo was walking across the land when it was spotted by the pride of lions.
The lions closed in on it and it started to pick up pace as it moved away from them.
They started moving faster as they neared the hippo. The tension of the moment was now palpable.
In response to their approach, the hippo began to storm forwards through the terrain, with the lion following in a heated chase.
The hippo ran with surprising speed for such a hefty fellow.
It ran out into the road with spectators in the open back jeep. For Mfundo, this must have been quite a spectacle!
The lions had ‘had their say’, and this hippo wasn’t about to chance entering this pride’s territory again. Wherever it was headed to in the first place, it got their much faster; running with speed away from the threat of the lions.