Two lion brothers recently swam farther than any other lion on record. They swam nearly a mile (1.5 kilometers) across the Kazinga Channel in Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park. A drone recorded the incredible feat, made immensely more incredible when you consider that one of the lions only has three legs. Oh yes, and the water was teeming with crocodiles and hippos.
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The lion brothers didn’t take such a massive swim lightly. According to New Scientist, they bailed on three previous attempts to cross before they succeeded on the fourth attempt. The two lions look tiny on the drone footage compared the the massive size of the channel, but they’re not the only little dots in the water. The other animals present in the channel are likely Nile crocodiles and/or hippos—both formidable foes for a lion on the aquatic animals’ turf.
While it seems difficult enough to swim that far through enemy territory, imagine doing it with only three limbs. At one point in his life, one of the lions (called Jacob by researchers) lost a leg after becoming stuck in a poacher’s trap. But that didn’t stop Jacob from making the cross with his brother.
And that brings us to the big question: Why did these lions undertake such a dangerous crossing? For the ladies, of course. At least, that’s what researchers think. They likely heard the ladies’ call from across the channel and came running—or, uh, swimming.
Watch clips of the three-legged lion and his brother cross the Kazinga Channel here:
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