Depending on your context, the lion is the King of the Jungle—or King of the Forest—even though lions don’t live in jungles and the females do all the hunting and killing. But still: the King. And with the crown comes would-be usurpers. You know, like Scar and his hyenas....CONTINUE READING
Though most species know their place, rightfully subservient to the royal lion, some have grown bolder. Some would plot to use their size, their venom, and even their spears to claim the throne… and it would totally work. As fast and powerful as lions are, there are a lot of animals that best them in the wild.
And though lions technically have no natural predators, there are plenty of animals that will take advantage of superiors numbers, or target the young, old, or sick, to bring down and feast upon a lion.
The following five creatures have the ability to defeat a lion in combat:
1. Gorilla
Unlike the silverback gorilla, the lion is a predator by nature. While they may not share the same level of intelligence, the lion wields a body built for hunting.
The African breed ranges between 4-and-a-half to 6-and-a-half feet long and can weigh up to 450 pounds, which is on par with the silverback gorilla. Their mane is a form of defense, its thick fur shielding its neck from predators and intimidating other males.
Due to the way they fight and their abilities, gorillas can use objects like branches and stones as weapons. He benefits from its intellect because it enables him to apply a variety of skills.
2. Porcupine
A badly executed porcupine attack can cause injury to the lion, hampering its hunting abilities. But its willingness to hunt porcupine suggests that other prey is scarce in the first place. Both conditions could push the big cat toward easier prey, like humans and cattle
While porcupines may seem harmless, they have been known in the past to kill lions, as well as leopards and hyenas.
Their trademark quills are released as a defence mechanism when predators get to close and these can cause nasty wounds that can eventually lead to deadly infections.
3. Ostrich
A frightened ostrich can achieve a speed of 72.5 kilometers (45 miles) per hour. If cornered, it can deliver dangerous kicks capable of killing lions and other large predators. Deaths from kicks and slashes are rare, with most attacks resulting from humans provoking the birds.
4. Rhino
One strong hit from the rhino’s horn can paralyze a lion forever. A rhino can kill a lion with one deadly hit from its horn. A lion will find it hard to face a rhino except it (the lion) attacks from behind.
5. Hippopotamus
The bite force of a hippo is 2,000 pounds per square inch. In comparison, a lion or a tiger has a bite force of 1000 pounds per square inch.
This is why very few animals will dare to disturb a hippo’s territory, because a hippo will tear up most animals in a single bite. For further comparison, an adult human has a bite force of 200 pounds per square inch.
When attacking a lion, hippos are incredibly swift and powerful. Hippos are often hurt by lion bites because of their thick skin. Lions can only hunt hippos in larger groups since a single hippo bite may kill a lion like nothing else..<<CONTINUE READING>>
