In a study jointly conducted by Griffith University and Northern Arizona University, the remarkable feat of two lions swimming across a predator-filled river in Africa was documented. Dr. Alexander Braczkowski, from the Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security at Griffith, led the team that, using high-definition drone cameras, captured the nighttime crossing of two male lions over the Kazinga Channel in Uganda. The work was carried out under the supervision of the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

One of the lions, known as Jacob, aged ten, has become a local legend for surviving numerous dangers, including the loss of a leg.

The incredible story of Jacob and Tibu
"Jacob has had an incredible life journey and is truly like a cat with nine lives," said Dr. Braczkowski.

"That he and his brother Tibu have managed to survive for so long in a national park exposed to significant human pressures and high levels of poaching is an achievement in itself – our research has shown that the lion population has nearly halved in just five years."

"His crossing of a channel filled with hippos and crocodiles was record-breaking and a testament to incredible resilience in the face of such risk."

Previous records have noted African lions crossing rivers ranging from 10 to several hundred meters in length, some of which ended in death due to crocodile attacks. However, the one-kilometer swim of Jacob and Tibu raises a new question: why did they undertake such a dangerous feat?

The search for lionesses
"They were likely searching for females," explained Dr. Braczkowski.

"Competition for lionesses in the park is fierce, and they lost a fight for the females' favor just hours before the swim, so they likely embarked on the risky journey to reach the females on the other side of the channel."

"There is a small bridge leading to the other side, but human presence likely deterred them."

Dr. Braczkowski leads long-term research on African lions and other predators in Queen Elizabeth National Parks and other parks in Uganda. He is currently the scientific director of the Kyambura Lion Project at the Volcano Partnership Commission and has been collaborating with the Ugandan government since 2017 to build scientific capacity for counting lions and other predators.

This observational study is a direct symptom of his earlier research that pointed to a gender imbalance in lion populations. "Jacob and Tibu's great crossing is another important example that some of our most beloved wild species have to make tough decisions to find homes and partners in a human-dominated world," said Dr. Braczkowski.

The work titled 'Long-distance swimming of African lions in Uganda' was published in the journal Ecology and Evolution.

Source: Griffith University