Hippos are herbivores, foraging grass primarily at night when they are most active. However, it’s not uncommon for them to deviate from their usual green diet and switch to meat. They are odd-looking creatures with eyes and ears on top of their heads. This is what allows them to see and hear their surroundings, even when they are submerged underwater.
The video begins with an image of three lions walking across a river towards the photographer. You can hear him say, “I think they’ll come over and say hello.” The three lions are in close proximity, their heads above the water as they look around to make sure they can cross the river safely.
The lion in front moved on, followed by the second lion. A third lion followed just a few feet behind the first two. Suddenly, there was a loud plop, and the three lions looked at the place where the sound came from.
The camera pans to the right and a large hippo can be seen charging towards the lion. Hippos are the second largest land animals on Earth (largest being the largest), and they move surprisingly fast. It cuts water like a knife cuts butter.
©Karel Bartik/Shutterstock.com
As the hippo approaches the three lions, you can see the third lion, which was left furthest behind, decides to abort the mission and retreat back to where it came from. The other two lions continued to swim, but not as fast as the hippo.
Without hesitation, the hippo ran straight at the first lion, who responded with a loud roar. The lion turned to face the hippo and continued the attack. Now, the lion tries to get out of the water while trying to avoid the hippo in the water.
The second lion sees the leader being attacked and has the opportunity to continue swimming and complete the river crossing. This is the first lion to have the hippo’s undivided attention. The lion rushed forward, left, and right, and almost escaped the hippo’s big mouth.
At times, amidst the uproar and roar, the hippo seemed to succeed in holding the lion’s body down. Nearing land, the lion is in an awkward sideways position, trying to keep its body away from the hippo’s mouth as it flees.
Eventually, the lion landed successfully, it again had the upper hand and was able to escape. Once completely out of the water, the hippo will stop attacking. It looks to make sure the lion disappears and returns to the water. The camera pans over and you can see a second hippo has arrived on the scene.
There are two lions in the background, on the other side of the river, abandoned. They will have to find another place or another time to cross the river.
Next, see how hippos and lions behave when they encounter other (sometimes much smaller) animals in the wild.
- The little turtle bullies the big lion in the puddle
- Watch a cornered crocodile fight five grown lions
- Late night standoff between hippo and rhino shows who’s really boss
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
