Don’t Touch Me! In a Dramatic Turn of Fate, a Fearless Hippo Defies Hungry Lions, Fights Through Peril, and Chases the Predators Away

A giant hippo turned the tables on a hungry pride of lions when they tried to attack him – by fighting itself out of a tricky situation before chasing the vicious predators away.

A roaring success: The hippo bellows and scares away the pride of lions after fighting them off

A roaring success: The hippo bellows and scares away the pride of lions after fighting them off

Spring attack: A lioness leaps at the hippo from behind and tries to sink her teeth into its back

Spring attack: A lioness leaps at the hippo from behind and tries to sink her teeth into its back

Not liking those odds! Four lionesses team up on the hippo after forcing it down into a ditch

Not liking those odds! Four lionesses team up on the hippo after forcing it down into a ditch

Claws out: The giant hippopotamus is attacked from behind by one of the hungry lionesses

Claws out: The giant hippopotamus is attacked from behind by one of the hungry lionesses

Mr Renaud said: ‘To be close to animals is an incredible feeling.

‘It’s amazing that the hippo manage to escape and to rejoin the river.’

In the photographs, a male lion circles the hippo before two lionesses jump on it and try and bring it down.

Sticky situation: The huge mammal is shepherded into a muddy ditch and looks to be in serious trouble

Sticky situation: The huge mammal is shepherded into a muddy ditch and looks to be in serious trouble

Hunting in packs: Four lionesses look to tuck into the hippo's meaty behind

The four lions look to tuck into the beast (left) but it somehow fights them off and they flee (right)

I've got my eye on you: The hippo stares at a fleeing lionesses after somehow winning the battle

I’ve got my eye on you: The hippo stares at a fleeing lionesses after somehow winning the battle

Pouncing around: One of the predators leaps open-mouthed at the water-dweller as another stalks it

Pouncing around: One of the predators leaps open-mouthed at the water-dweller as another stalks it

They appear to be winning when the hippo is forced into a ditch and four lionesses jump on its back.

Victory snarl: The hippopotamus stares right down the lens and snarls after beating the odds

Victory snarl: The hippopotamus stares right down the lens and snarls after beating the odds

Leave me alone! Trying to escape the ravenous creatures, the hippo makes a run through the thick mud

Leave me alone! Trying to escape the ravenous creatures, the hippo makes a run through the thick mud

Trapped: It looks as if it might be the end as the big beast is rammed into a tight space with lions bearing down

Trapped: It looks as if it might be the end as the big beast is rammed into a tight space with lions bearing down

Am I bothered? The hippo looks nonplussed as a lioness makes a grab at it from behind

Am I bothered? The hippo looks nonplussed as a lioness makes a grab at it from behind

‘Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa are our favourite countries.

Stalking its prey: One of the lionesses creeps up on the unsuspecting hippo, hiding in the long grass

Stalking its prey: One of the lionesses creeps up on the unsuspecting hippo, hiding in the long grass

All smiles: The hippo breaks into a grin as it escapes the brutal battle still with its life

All smiles: The hippo breaks into a grin as it escapes the brutal battle still with its life

‘It’s always the animal which decide: if they come toward us, we just have to check if they are aggressive or not.