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Watch A Swimming Lion Escape From An Angry Hippo

Lions are thought to be responsible for 22 human deaths per year on average. The number for hippos is 500!

Eleanor Higgs headshot

Eleanor Higgs

Eleanor Higgs headshot

Eleanor Higgs

Digital Content Creator

Eleanor is a content creator and social media assistant with an undergraduate degree in zoology and a master’s degree in wildlife documentary production.

Digital Content Creator

EditedbyLaura Simmons
Laura Simmons headshot

Laura Simmons

Editor and Staff Writer

Laura is an editor and staff writer at IFLScience. She obtained her Master's in Experimental Neuroscience from Imperial College London.

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A hippo's head is at the top of the image while a lion's head is at the bottom. The lion is submerged to its neck swimming away from the hippo in murky water.

Hippos can weigh the same as a small car – not something you want barrelling towards you through the water. 

Image credit: Shenton Safaris via Storyful

There aren't many in the animal world that would like to go toe to toe with a lion. However, despite what Disney movies would have you believe, lions aren’t actually ruling the jungle and there are a few species willing to put up a fight. Especially this angry hippo, filmed in Zambia.

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Shenton Safaris posted the incident on Facebook, when a male lion was crossing the Luangwa river and was chased by a large hippopotamus. Senior guide Patrick and his guests witnessed the moment as the lion attempted to swim rapidly to the bank on the other side. 

Contrary to popular belief, hippos can’t really swim. Instead they run along the bottom of the river bed. According to BBC Discover Wildlife, they are among the most dangerous animals in the world, thought to cause 500 deaths per year annually. This is largely because hippos are quite territorial and often capsize boats that venture into their territory. 

While male lions can weigh as much as 190 kilograms (419 pounds) and stand at roughly 1 meter tall (3.5 feet) at the shoulder, an adult hippo can weigh well over 1,500 kilograms and be taller than 1.5 meters (5.2 feet) at the shoulder. While normally thought of as herbivores eating mainly grasses and plants near the river, hippos have been observed eating meat and in rare cases even other hippos

In case that wasn’t scary enough, hippos also have bright red sweat – but don’t worry, it's not the blood of those foolish enough to get in their way. 

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Fortunately, the lion managed to make a speedy getaway and made it safely onto dry land. Lions and other big cats are surprisingly strong swimmers and recent drone footage even revealed a pair of lion brothers making a record-breaking swim in Uganda. 


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  • animals,

  • lions,

  • hippopotamuses,

  • Zambia,

  • hippos

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