In some cases, this is the animal that can kill lions in the wild.

Lions and tigers are always considered the kings of beasts, however in the wild there are still animals that can take the lives of lions.

Animals that have been known to kill a lion in certain situations

Lions may be considered the kings of the African beasts, but that doesn't mean they are invincible. Lions hunt down some of their prey with all their considerable strength and cunning. In some cases, their prey will do everything in their power to escape or even kill a lion.

The African habitats these big cats call home have spawned a variety of dangerous creatures – and many of them are willing to take down lions whether it's in self-defense or as an act of territorial defense.

1. Giraffe

A giraffe can kick with a force equivalent to its body weight, making it easy for a lion to take it down.

Like most apex predators, lions tend to target the sickest and most vulnerable prey, a form of natural selection that keeps evolutionary trends moving forward. However, reality never works out exactly as the theory suggests, with lions sometimes choosing giraffes as their prey despite the large difference in weight and height between the two species.

The average male giraffe weighs over 900 kg and reaches a height of over 5 meters. This makes them much larger than a lion, which weighs an average of 200 kg. In the event of an attack, a giraffe can kick with a force equivalent to its body weight, and with this strength, a lion can be easily taken down. In fact, there have been recorded cases of giraffes killing lions while being hunted by them.

2. Crocodile

Large crocodiles can drag adult lions into the water when given the chance.

In addition to hunting prey outside the savannah, lions will also poach eggs from crocodile nests when given the chance, but adult lions can pose a real danger to lions. Crocodiles cannot run as fast as lions on land, but large individuals will drag adult lions into water when given the chance — and lions will sometimes fall prey to crocodiles if they are trapped underwater for too long. An average crocodile has a bite force of 1,700 pounds per square inch — a far cry from the 650 PSI of a lion.

3. Rhinoceros

A large rhinoceros is capable of goring an adult lion.

Lions are known to selectively prey on black rhinos – and the ones that are most selective are usually the ones that are too old. But sometimes young lions will venture out to hunt adult rhinos, and that is a completely wrong choice.

Rhinos can weigh more than 2 tons, but an adult rhino can reach speeds of 35 miles per hour and its horns are capable of piercing the belly of an adult lion. Most lions realize that facing an adult rhino is not worth the risk, but researchers warn that when the dry season comes and food becomes scarce, some prides will choose rhinos as prey or young, inexperienced males will try to take the risk and will inevitably die.

4. African buffalo

Many scientists believe that the hatred between buffalo and lions is deeply ingrained in the genes.

Buffalo are not the largest prey that lions hunt. Lions use their pride advantage to attack from behind and avoid the buffalo's sharp horns. A lioness will take down a buffalo by surprise or take down the weakest and slowest one as the pride flees – but these pack tactics can be deadly for the lion.

Many buffalo herds practice a strategy of using their sheer numbers to chase or even kill lions that dare attack them. Buffalo are also an active threat, as the giant ungulates have been known to seek out lion cubs and trample them to death before they can grow and pose a threat to the buffalo herd. Many scientists believe that the animosity between buffalo and lions is genetically ingrained, as there have been numerous reports of entire buffalo herds attacking and killing lions.

5. African bush elephant

The elephant's tusks, trunk and massive body pose a formidable threat to the pride of lions.

The African bush elephant is the largest living land mammal on our planet. It's no surprise that these animals can kill a lion. That's why lions primarily target baby elephants – and why these creatures have developed protective habits to keep their young safe.

A male elephant can weigh up to 6.5 tons, and when attacked, the entire herd will surround it to protect its calves from the lions. The elephant's tusks, trunk, and massive body pose a formidable threat to a pride of lions.

A lion can easily die when confronted by an adult elephant, and if it manages to flee after an elephant attack, it will quickly die from severe injuries. Researchers have found that older elephants have developed more sophisticated defenses against lions, and they pass that knowledge on to other members of the herd, who actively protect their cubs from threats.