These three lions got more than they bargained for when they tried to swim across a river.
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The Great Plains Conservation project sent in this sighting showing a pride of lions hugely underestimating the threat of a hippo, and paying the price.
The lions were at the Selinda Reserve in Botswana, where they boldly tried to cross the Selinda spillway. They knew the hippo was there before they ran the risk, but they clearly didn’t realize how dangerous it was until it was already too late.
The Coast Looks Clear
Whether the lions thought they’d get across the river faster, or they just didn’t realize the speed of an angry hippo, they clearly reasoned that they had the time to get to the other side.
While a lion would absolutely be able to outrun a hippo in a land race, they were in the hippo’s territory now. Hippo’s can reach up to thirty kilometers an hour on land, and those same powerful legs can propel them through the water faster than a lion can swim.
Absolutely Not
This hippo was very angry indeed. Hippos are extremely territorial creatures, especially around water, and having several lions actually in the water, rather than just near it, was grounds for action.
Not just any action either, but the cheek of these lions demanded a swift and decisive response from the larger animal.
The speed with which it crossed the river is nothing short of amazing. Hippos are actually too heavy to swim, which means this one was sprinting across the riverbed to teach those lions a lesson.
Just Keep Swimming
Even after they know the hippo has locked onto them and is approaching with the speed of a torpedo, the lions didn’t have a choice other than to commit. They really wanted to make it to the other side, but they had to pile on the speed to make it.
In a one on one, the hippo would likely overpower a lion. Its teeth can reach more than a foot in length, and they have some of the strongest jaws in the animal kingdom.
The only way the big cats would come off better is with the support of the pride. Despite outnumbering the hippo, the lions were slow and vulnerable in the water and couldn’t make use of this advantage.
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The King Of The Jungle Humbled By A Hippo
Fortunately for the lions, they’d already made it across most of the river before the hippo caught up to them. At least, some of them did.
Although they tried their best, the pride of lions couldn’t overcome the hippo and was separated. Although none of them were injured, they would now have to find another way to reunite with each other.
Despite their victory here, hippos are vulnerable to extinction with their numbers decreasing. Their long teeth means they get poached for ivory, and they mostly live in protected areas.
Even though humans are a significant threat to hippos, they can outrun and out swim a human easily. If you find yourself facing an angry hippo your best bet is to try and climb a sturdy tree, or find something big to put between you.