Watch a Humongous Hippo Show Its True Size and Humiliate 3 Adult Lions

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Even the king of the jungle can have a bad day when trying to cross a river guarded by an aggressive hippo. Three lions found out the hard way that this river crossing was a giant hippo’s territory. Watch the video above to see the amazing footage.

Filmed in the Selinda Reserve in Botswana, the video shows three lions calmly making their way across a river. Seemingly out of nowhere, a noisy snorting beast comes tearing through the water after them. The massive hippopotamus reaches the lions with incredible speed and drives them out of the water. You have to see it to believe it.

While no one was injured from this attack, the hippo effectively communicated that the river crossing was hippo territory. The lions ran out of the water as fast as they could.

How Well Can Lions Swim?

Lions can swim, but they aren’t nearly as adept in the water as crocodiles and hippos. Because of this, lions don’t swim for fun, but they will swim to cross a waterway if needed. In one instance researchers observed a male lion swimming half a mile across a channel to find a mate.

However, this was a rare occurrence and lions try to stay on dry land as much as possible where they fare much better against possible attacks. In this case, female lions were so hard to find that the researchers believed the male decided the long swim in crocodile-infested waters was worth the risk.

Can Hippos Swim?

Hippos are one of the heaviest land animals, and the males of the species can weigh 3,500 to 7,000 pounds. They spend most of their time in water and have a clear membrane over their eyes that allows them to see even if they get splashed as if they are wearing a pair of swim goggles. Hippos can also close their nostrils and hold their breath for up to five minutes.

Although they are perfectly adapted to spend most of their time in rivers, lakes, and mangroves, they can’t actually swim. Hippos can’t even float on water due to their massive weight but tend to stick to shallow waters where their stubby legs can reach. Though they sleep in the water, they can’t breathe underwater. A reflex causes them to bob above the surface and take a breath during their naps.

Hippos may look like awkward, lumbering beasts on land, but they are actually pretty fast. On land, hippos can reach speeds of 30 miles per hour. Though running through water slows them down, they use a bouncing maneuver which lets them move along at a fairly fast clip. Their feet are webbed, which helps them to push off the bottom of the riverbed. Hippos can reach speeds of five miles an hour bouncing through the water. As you saw in the video, the hippo had no difficulty reaching the slower-moving lions.

Hippos Are Territorial

Hippos can be fully submerged, and still keep a watchful eye and ear out for what’s going on above the water. Their ears and eyes are on top of their head, allowing them to watch over their territory, even when in the water.

Hippos live in large groups of around 40 to 200 individuals. Though they are vegetarian, eating mainly grass, they are extremely territorial. When anyone, person or animal, shows up in their territory, they tend to act aggressively. They are known to charge and capsize boats, causing an estimated 500 deaths or more per year. In fact, you are more likely to die in an encounter with a hippo than one with a lion or shark.

No wonder the lions made a speedy getaway when they saw the lumbering beast barreling towards them.

Do Lions Prey on Hippos? (Or Vice Versa)

It’s very unusual for a lion to prey on a hippo, although researchers have seen it happen. A wildlife photographer filmed two male lions in South Africa attacking and killing a young hippo. Experts say this is rare, and lions are much more likely to take down easy prey, like zebras and wildebeests, rather than go for something that can fight back.

As we’ve seen in the video, hippos will go after lions, not as prey, but to move them out of their territory. Because hippos are so large and powerful, and because hippos have the advantage in the water, you’re generally going to see lions trying to get out of the way of the hippo.

Hippos and Lions Are at Risk for Habitat Loss

Habitat loss from human population growth and agriculture expansion is affecting both hippos and lions. While hippos are not considered endangered, they are on the vulnerable species list. Lions are also considered vulnerable, and their numbers have been decreasing in recent years.