Huge Hippo Attacks Lion Stranded on a Rock, Forcing It to Jump in the River

At the beginning of this short video seen below, a male lion is seen sunbathing on a rock in the middle of the river. A male hippopotamus doing his regular territorial swim spots the lion in his territory and is not happy. 

The lion notices the hippo but is unphased by this as he assumes the hippo will leave him unbothered. Although he may be king of the jungle, he certainly is not the king of this hippo’s territory. 

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The male hippo charges at the lion on the rock to let him know that he means business. His mouth is seen stretching so wide that when he goes in for the lion, his entire head would be in the hippo’s mouth if the lion had not moved.

The lion moves back on the rock, knowing he has made a mistake by entering this hippo’s territory. But this is not enough for the hippo. He stands up, towering over the lion, and charges up on the rock to grab the lion. 

At that moment, the lion realizes that he must decide whether or not to jump in the water. But, being a cat, he doesn’t really like water. Lions can swim if they have to, but they don’t like to. The male lion waits at the edge of the rock, hoping the hippo will take off.

If anything, this makes the hippopotamus angrier. He meant business, and the lion clearly isn’t taking this seriously. The enormous hippo rounds the rock and lunges for the lion on the edge, forcing the lion to jump in the water. The hippo lets out a loud grunt to show the lion his displeasure. 

The lion is seen swimming away as fast as he possibly can. Lucky for him, the hippo decided not to chase the lion. Because if it came to a fight in the water, the lion would have zero advantage. The hippo’s work is done, and his territory is secure, so he returns to his herd.

Are Lions Aggressive? 

King of the jungle, lions are easily one of the most feared predators in Africa. The size of their bodies, their demeanor, and their willingness to attack and fight to the death have put them on the African Big Five list. 

This list names them alongside other large animals, such as the Buffalo, Elephant, Leopard, and White Rhino. 

The male lion has a long thick man around his face. The color of his mane attracts females and helps establish his dominance as a member of his pride, even though prides are usually comprised of about 80% females. The females will do most of the hunting while the male lion protects his pride, often from afar. 

When it gets down to it, a male lion is an animal to be greatly feared in a fight, even with a hippo. They will fiercely defend their title and territory. 

Will Hippos Attack?

Hippos will most certainly attack predators, prey, humans, and pretty much anything else that gets in their way. Hippos are one of the most aggressive animals in the wild.

The hippo’s enormous size of weighing a few tons (up to 9,000+lbs) and reaching lengths of 16ft is enough to scare any animal or human based on that alone. Their 35 sharp teeth are ready to rip into the flesh of anyone they perceive as a threat.  

Hippos will be found in herds of 10-20 other hippos. The male hippo will be labeled the dominant one leading the herd. He takes his territory very seriously, not only from other animals but also from other male hippos. 

In the case of the below video, the hippo felt threatened by having this male lion in his territory. And he made it very clear that he was not welcome there. 

It is difficult to believe that any animal could kill a lion; however, hippos have been known to kill lions! 

Is it Normal for a Hippo to Attack a Lion?

Hippopotamuses are herbivores and while they don’t usually bother other animals, they can become aggressive if they sense danger. The majority of hippos become nervous when there is an obstacle, whether it is something or someone, standing between them and the water where they reside.

Known to be one of the most dangerous and aggressive animals in Africa, hippos are extremely territorial and aggressive if they feel threatened and will be even more aggressive if they perceive a potential threat to their offspring. They are known to attack other animals, as well as humans, if they are disturbed. These mammals are highly unpredictable and lions generally prefer to avoid a fight with a hippo. Yes, it is normal for a hippo to attack a lion if the lion has invaded the space of the hippo.