Upon seeing a male lion encroaching on its territory, the hippopotamus immediately charged, opening its massive jaws to attack the intruder.
The hippopotamus attacks the nearest lion, forcing the opponent to flee.
This dramatic encounter was captured by Jon Leman in a private reserve located between the Okavango Delta and the Linyanti River.
In the clip, three male lions attempt to swim across a section of the river when they are spotted by a hippopotamus that charges at them to drive them away. As the hippopotamus closes in, one lion quickly changes direction, leaving its companion to face the threat alone.
With its massive jaws, the hippopotamus lunges at the nearest lion, causing the predator to hastily retreat. Once the threat has withdrawn, the hippopotamus also moves away in a different direction.
Hippopotamuses are large animals, ranked as the third largest land mammal today, following elephants and white rhinoceroses. They can reach lengths of 3.3 to 5 meters and stand up to 1.6 meters tall at the shoulder. Average females weigh around 1,400 kg, while males can weigh between 1,600 to 4,500 kg.
Hippopotamuses are among the most aggressive creatures in the world and are often regarded as one of the most dangerous animals in Africa and globally. They are particularly aggressive when their territory is threatened or when their young are disturbed.
As the most ferocious mammals in Africa, a hippopotamus’s jaws can crush one or two crocodiles measuring about 3 meters in length. Their aggression surpasses that of any other large animal. They can weigh up to 1.5 tons, and their bite strength is comparable to that of a large sledgehammer.
Typically, lions and hippopotamuses rarely encounter each other due to their differing territories. Moreover, the strength of hippopotamuses instills fear in other African wildlife.
