Well it’s an easy choice, although still not a particularly pleasant one, because highest survival chance doesn’t mean good survival chance.
It wouldn’t even be worth attempting to run away from either of the big cats.
Lions can apparently run at speeds of up to 50mph (80 km/h), and tigers are slightly below that, but still in a completely different league to any human.
This is about 95% more exertion than necessary.
Running away would be the last thing you’d want to do, anyway, because it would mark you out as prey. Your best bet* would be bluffing and trying to look threatening, while standing your ground and hoping the cat doesn’t realise you’re made of delicious meat.
*Well, your best bet would be not being alone, unarmed (I assume) and on foot in the presence of a large feline.
Easier said than done…
So I guess I’m taking my chances with the hippo:
Wait, I just want to tell you about my multi-level marketing strategy.
Great.
I think most of us have seen this meme-worthy picture, and it’s actually real. Luckily the guy, who was a game warden I believe, managed to outrun the hippo.
Their top speed is around 19 mph (30 km/h), so slower than the fastest humans, but, err, comfortably quicker than me. Watch the video halfway down this page if you want to see one in action. It’s got a pretty good head of steam for such a big unit… How Fast Can a Hippo Run? Probably Faster Than You!
I’d just have to hope I ran into a slightly unmotivated and sluggish hippo. In other words, my rotund, marginally grumpier spirit animal.
Because this would not be an enjoyable way to go:
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