The hippopotamus is the worlds deadliest large land mammal and it kills an estimated 500 people per year in Africa.
Three lions attempted to cross a river at the Selinda Reserve spillway in Botswana when they were intercepted by an angry hippo. The Great Plains Conservation shared the video of the incident on YouTube and called it an “unforgettable moment”.
The clip showed three lions crossing the river with a fourth lion hanging back on the bank, apparently waiting to see it if was safe to cross. A giant hippo is then seen immediately charging the trio and attacking one of them in the water in an apparent show of strength and territorial dominance.
Watch the video below:
In the caption, the Great Plains Conservation wrote, “The territorial behemoth moved in at pace to see off the lions, and an incredible interaction between big cats and the mega mammal played out right under the noses of our lucky guests. Thankfully, all involved made it out unscathed.”
The video has surfaced on several social media platforms and left internet users amazed. On Reddit, the clip has racked up more than 58,000 upvotes and nearly 3,000 comments.
While one user wrote, “That hippo was at a full gallop IN THE WATER! F****** terrifying.” Another jokingly said, “I don’t know why, but the sight of the lion running back to shore as the hippo charges is really cracking me up.”
A third added, “The way it powered through the water like that! Shit ain’t easy for most four-legged creatures on the planet.” “Hippos bodies are too dense to float, so while the lions were trying to swim away the hippo was just running in the water,” explained fourth.
Notably, the hippopotamus is the world’s deadliest large land mammal, according to BBC. It kills an estimated 500 people per year in Africa. Hippos are aggressive creatures and they have very sharp teeth. They are said to be twice as deadly as lions.
