Emily Chan
Two male lions were observed making a record-breaking swim through a waterway at Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. Researchers believe that it is the longest documented swim that has ever been made by lions.
Footage of the journey was caught on a high-resolution thermal camera. The lions are brothers named Jacob and Tibu.
They swam for nearly a mile across the Kazinga Channel, which connects two lakes in the park. The channel is filled with hippos and Nile crocodiles, which are known to attack lions.
What makes an already treacherous journey even more remarkable is the fact that Jacob has an amputated leg.
During his 10 years at the park, he has survived many life-threatening situations, including the loss of part of his leg in a poaching trap.
The footage shows the brothers making three attempts to cross the channel, which is 20 feet deep. They returned to shore after the first two tries.
On the third attempt, they were successful. It took them about 45 minutes to cross the river, and they both arrived at shore safely.
Lions are the embodiment of physical strength. Being at the top of the food chain, they have few other predators to fear aside from humans.
However, a Nile crocodile can kill a lion in the water with ease. The crocodiles weigh up to four times more than a male lion.
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