Watch This Menacing Crocodile Stalk a Gazelle Only to Be Attacked by a Massive Hippo

Some waters are better left untouched. Especially when they’re guarded by territorial creatures. The gazelle in the clip at the bottom of the page didn’t know what was coming and in a twist of fate, its predator became the prey. There’s no happy ending but the video does leave you in a suspended state of awe.

Do Crocodiles Have Good Eyesight?

If you were to compare a crocodile’s eyesight to a human’s eyesight, they can see about 6.5 times less than what a human can. However, even with this deficit, they are incredibly keen, particularly when nightfall occurs. They have multi-focal lenses that allow them to see different shades and make out different shapes. They also perceive the full-color spectrum. Although their eyesight is not as good as a human’s, they can easily find their prey, move in with stealth, and chomp down for a full meal.

How Do Gazelles Protect Themselves?

Gazelles have horns that protrude from the top of their heads — this is their form of defense if they’re caught in a fight. If they face a small predator, they butt their heads against it. A gazelle’s other form of defense is its speed. If it can get away, it’s more likely to survive an encounter with larger predators. They can reach high speeds and they communicate with one another if danger is present. This alert can help give other gazelles a head start, increasing their chances of evading stalking predators.

There’s Always a Bigger Fish

The clip below perfectly demonstrates the proverb, “there’s always a bigger fish.” While crocodiles are known for their ferocious natures and indiscriminate appetites, in this clip you see that even they become prey to larger predators. When the clip starts, a gazelle is walking on a sandbar, right next to a huge croc. Although a gazelle is speedy on land, it can’t outswim a croc. The gazelle starts with a long jump, helping it get ahead in the water. It cuts through the water quickly, but the croc is in close pursuit.

The camera zooms in on the gazelle and that’s when you notice something else in the water, fast approaching the ill-fated pair. The gazelle keeps swimming, its instincts to survive leading the way. Just as the crocodile appears behind it, its mouth agape and quickly biting down, the other animal in the water attacks the croc with the gazelle in its mouth. It’s a hippo. All three disappear underwater just as the clip ends. Although hippos don’t eat crocs, they certainly don’t hesitate to kill them.