Hippo sneaks up on lions at South Africa dam
WeirdNews
A group of hippos is called a bloat.
SOUTH AFRICA (Web Desk) - A hippo sneaks up on a pride of lions that are drinking water. When the hippo gets close, it charges at them, chasing them away from the dam.
Ian De Weerd shared the wildlife sighting that took place in Kapama Game Reserve with LatestSightings.com.
"While on a game drive, we came across a pride of lions drinking from a dam, a scene that's not uncommon in this part of the world. It was a small pride that was visiting the dam for a late afternoon drink. The scene was tranquil and calm. Almost surreal, until...
"As I watched the lions drinking, I noticed movement in the water. At first, I thought it was just some fish moving about. But then I saw the massive head of a hippo slowly rising from the water. The hippo was sneaking up on the lions, and I couldn't believe what I was seeing."
"The lions were at first completely unaware of the danger and continued drinking. This all changed when one of the lions picked up the movement in the water. The rest of the pride tried to sneak in another sip or two of water before the inevitable occurred."
Interactions between lions and hippos are rare, and it's even rarer to see a hippo chase off a pride of lions. Lions are typically considered the apex predators in the area, but when it comes to protecting their water, hippos are not to be trifled with. They have incredibly strong jaws and teeth that can crush even a crocodile, so it's no surprise that the lions retreated quickly.
A group of hippos is called a bloat.
"As the hippo got closer, it suddenly charged toward the lions with incredible speed, causing the startled cats to scatter in all directions."
Hippos are responsible for more human fatalities in Africa than any other large animal, including lions. They may seem docile when lounging in the water, but they are incredibly aggressive when they feel their territory or water source is threatened.
