Two lions recently achieved an extraordinary feat, believed to be the longest recorded swim for their species, capturing the attention of researchers and conservationists. Remarkably, one of the lions, Jacob, has only three legs, having lost one to a poacher’s snare.
Researchers used a drone to film Jacob and his brother Tibu overcoming their natural aversion to water and swimming across the Kazinga Channel. Driven by their quest to find females, they bravely navigated waters teeming with crocodiles and hippos, covering a distance of 1.5 kilometers.
Alexander Braczkowski, a conservation biologist with Griffith University in Australia and Northern Arizona University, noted the behavioral significance of the event. “From a behavioral standpoint, it’s fascinating to see them cross such a large water body and over such a long distance,” he said. He also emphasized the broader implications, highlighting that animals are taking bigger risks in a human-dominated world.
The swim was likely motivated by a scarcity of females in Queen Elizabeth National Park, where the ratio of males to females is unusually high. Braczkowski explained that female lions are more vulnerable to being killed by farmers in retaliation for cattle deaths, leading to an imbalance in the lion population.
Jacob and Tibu’s journey was particularly compelling because they had lost a dominance fight with other males just hours before their swim. They made three attempts to cross the channel within an hour, with the team capturing their second attempt on camera. The footage revealed the presence of potential threats, such as hippos or Nile crocodiles, trailing the lions. Despite these dangers, the brothers persevered and completed the swim.
Jacob’s resilience is remarkable. Since researchers began tracking him in 2017, he has endured numerous hardships, mostly due to human interference. He was first caught in a snare and later lost his leg to a poacher’s trap. His pride was poisoned, and he was gored by a buffalo. Despite these challenges, Jacob made a 75-kilometer journey north in search of territory, losing a brother along the way.
“Lions have been observed swimming before, notably in Zimbabwe and Botswana, but they’re far less comfortable in the water than other big cats, such as jaguars and tigers,” said Braczkowski. Jacob’s determination and resilience, particularly given his physical limitations, make his story all the more inspiring. “There’s something about this particular lion that just says, ‘I’m not going to give up,'” Braczkowski added.
