Although it narrowly escaped death, this is certainly a lesson the lion will never forget when it considers provoking a hippopotamus.
This intense confrontation was recorded at Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.
In the clip, a lioness approaches with the intent to attack a hippopotamus lying asleep on the grasslands. Upon realizing it was facing a formidable opponent, the lioness quickly turned and retreated.
The sudden appearance of the intruder immediately woke the hippopotamus. While the lion was caught off guard, the hippopotamus charged forward, attacking the lion with a powerful bite to the head and forcefully slamming it to the ground.
Faced with this unexpected assault, the lion was completely passive and could only respond weakly.
Fortunately, it managed to escape when the hippopotamus abandoned its attack and moved away in another direction. This is undoubtedly a memorable lesson for the lion when considering a confrontation with a hippopotamus.
The hippopotamus is a massive animal, ranked as the third largest land mammal after the elephant and the white rhinoceros. They can reach lengths of 3.3 to 5 meters and stand up to 1.6 meters at the shoulder. Average females weigh about 1,400 kg, while males weigh between 1,600 to 4,500 kg.
Hippopotamuses are among the most aggressive creatures in the world and are often considered one of the most dangerous animals in Africa and worldwide. They are particularly aggressive when their territory is invaded or when their young are threatened.
As the most ferocious creature in Africa, a hippopotamus’s jaw can crush one or two crocodiles measuring about 3 meters in length. Their aggression surpasses that of any large animal. They can weigh up to 1.5 tons, and their jaws have the crushing power equivalent to that of a large sledgehammer.
Despite their stocky bodies and short legs, hippopotamuses can reach speeds of up to 48 km/h, easily outpacing humans.
Typically, lions and hippopotamuses rarely encounter each other due to their different territories. Additionally, the strength of the hippopotamus always instills fear in other animals across Africa.
