Viral animal video: In the wild, the lion is often touted as the “king of the jungle,” evoking feelings of power, dominance, and fearlessness. Yet even this most majestic of predators has moments of dejection, as one video that has gone viral shows. A video recently shared on social media shows a rare encounter between a lion and a hippo, and shows a rather unlikely side of the lion – a sense of fear.

Unexpected encounter

Uploaded by a Leo Vantage Safari Sightings YouTube account, this incredible video shows a lion sitting on a rock surrounded by water – a place that usually means safety and dominance. But his luck soon runs out when he comes across a huge, angry hippo. Hippos are considered one of the most dangerous animals in Africa due to their enormous size and strength. With their huge jaws and jagged teeth, they will tear apart any living creature that comes into contact with them, let alone a lion.

Hippo challenges the lion’s rule

As the hippo approaches and stares at the lion with obvious hostility, the lion’s bravery suddenly disappears. Faced with such an impressive display by the hippo, the lion suddenly changes his mind and hastily retreats, tail tucked tightly between his legs in the ultimate sign of submission. The audience was shocked at such a rare moment of fear and weakness in a lion and now cheers for the hippo for defeating the so-called king of the jungle.

The video has certainly already gone viral and many viewers have commented on the incredible role reversal. Some commentators have even crowned the hippo the “true king” of the jungle – not without reason, of course. Well, such a video is a good example of how in the wild, even the mightiest and strongest animals sometimes have to give way to others. It has already received many likes and comments and is actually going viral because it shows something really special.