A Nile crocodile killing a hippopotamus is an event so rare in the wild that it is considered an extraordinary exception to the established rules of the African river ecosystem. While possible, this almost exclusively applies to young, sick, or isolated animals. These two species share the same aquatic habitat across sub-Saharan Africa, where their interactions are governed by an uneasy truce dictated by the sheer size and aggression of the hippo. Most encounters between a healthy adult hippo and an adult crocodile end with the reptile retreating or being injured.
The Size and Defense Disparity
The physical difference between a hippo and a crocodile creates a massive biological imbalance that prevents most successful predation attempts. A large adult male Nile crocodile may reach 20 feet and weigh up to 2,000 pounds, yet a full-grown male hippo can weigh as much as 6,600 pounds, making it up to seven times heavier. This immense bulk acts as a prohibitive defense, making it nearly impossible for a crocodile to secure a grip or subdue the animal.
The hippo’s hide serves as thick, rubbery armor that is difficult for a crocodile’s teeth to penetrate, sometimes reaching two inches thick over the back and flanks. Although the crocodile possesses the strongest bite force, measured at over 3,700 pounds per square inch, its teeth are designed for gripping and tearing, not for piercing deep armor. Conversely, the hippo’s weaponry includes a massive mouth equipped with razor-sharp canine tusks up to 1.5 feet long, which are highly effective defensive spears against predators.
Targeted Vulnerability: Hunting Hippo Calves
The only consistent scenario where a crocodile acts as a predator to a hippo is when targeting a vulnerable calf. Young hippos are significantly smaller and lack the defensive bulk and experience of their parents, making them the most viable prey option. A large crocodile will use its classic ambush technique, waiting for a calf to stray even a few feet from its mother or the protective cluster of the “bloat.”
This predation requires a lapse in the mother’s defense, as female hippos are ferociously protective of their young. In extremely rare cases, an exceptionally large crocodile may attempt to attack a half-grown or injured sub-adult hippo. Such attacks are unusual and often result in the crocodile being injured, confirming that the hippo must be compromised for the crocodile to consider it a meal.
Shared Waters: How They Coexist
Hippos and crocodiles maintain a relationship of mutual avoidance. Both species are semi-aquatic and territorial, but the hippo’s overwhelming size and aggressive nature dictate the terms of their shared environment. Crocodiles frequently cede prime basking spots and hunting grounds to a hippo pod, recognizing the danger the mammal poses.
They often occupy the same stretch of river or lake, sometimes sharing a crowded watering hole during a drought. The crocodile benefits from the hippo’s presence, as the herbivore’s nightly grazing creates pathways and maintains certain water conditions. Neither animal is a natural predator of the healthy adult of the other species, allowing them to coexist by ignoring one another to avoid a costly confrontation.
When the Hippo Attacks the Crocodile
The power dynamic is often flipped, with the hippo acting as the aggressor, especially when defending territory or young. Hippos are notoriously short-tempered and are quick to charge or attack anything they perceive as a threat to their space. When a crocodile is seen as too close to a calf or intruding on a pod’s resting area, the hippo will initiate the attack.
A hippo can use its immense weight and powerful jaws against a crocodile. Documented instances show hippos body-slamming, crushing, or stomping on crocodiles in the water or on the riverbank. The hippo’s massive mouth and tusks can easily inflict fatal trauma, with reports of hippos lifting smaller crocodiles out of the water or biting them in half. This aggression establishes the hippo as the dominant force, forcing the crocodile to live in deference to the larger mammal.