The video you’re about to watch is graphic in nature, which is why we give you the option to read about the contents instead! What happens in the wild is truly jaw-dropping and we never know what animals will do in their natural habitats. Today’s video takes place in Kruger National Park, a popular tourist destination for those interested in safari vacations. It starts by showing a stealthy pride of lions on the prowl for fresh food. They remain hidden in the grass and let the prey approach. They move slowly and discreetly in the path of their intended victim. When they are close enough to attack, they immediately dash onto the target. Lions assault their victims, break their windpipes to render them helpless, then attack their backs and noses. The next thing we see in the footage is the pride attacking a mother hippo, while her baby stands by helpless. Mother hippos are fiercely protective of their offspring, nursing them for eight months during which time they also develop a highly aggressive personality. Just like any other mother, this hippo does what it has to do to protect its baby. The lions attack the hippo from behind until it eventually falls to the ground. One thing that stands out about this interaction is how little the hippo fights back.
Surrendering Without a Fight
Although a hippo would likely win competing one-on-one with a lone lion, they simply can’t take on an entire pride. The hippo appears to be calming sitting there as the cats begin to peel the flesh off of the giant animal’s back. All the while, we can see the baby hippo take shelter under his mother’s body. Perhaps like humans, this hippo is staying calm to protect her child. Perhaps she knows there’s no attacking and winning against several lions. What is likely the case is that the hippo was already injured or extremely tired and the lions could tell and thus, made their move. Unfortunately, these hungry cats didn’t stop once the adult hippo was killed. The rest of the pride joined in and made a meal out of the calf as well. While it’s hard to watch and hear about young animals dying, it is part of nature and the circle of life. One comment reads, “Things happen in nature that we will never fully understand. The way things went down with this hippo and its kid is a perfect example.” If this is of interest to you, you can watch the video below.
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