AHMEDABAD: Deep in the heart of Gir sanctuary, an extraordinary spectacle has captured the attention of wildlife enthusiasts. Two lionesses have defied nature’s norms, turning the crocodile-infested waters of Raval Dam into their swimming lane. Known for their dominance on land, lions rarely venture into water unless absolutely necessary, making this behaviour a jaw-dropping spectacle.
Forest guards stationed at Raval Dam first noticed the lionesses’ aquatic habit, documenting their daring swims across 300m of crocodile-infested waters.
Chief conservator of forests (CCF), Vadodara, Anshuman Sharma, shared a video on X of the lionesses gliding gracefully through the dam’s backwaters, noting that this is far from typical lion behaviour. “An arduous patrol by Gir staff gives an absolutely delightful but rarely seen movement of lions swimming across the backwater of a dam in Gir,” reads the caption of his tweet.
Lions swim only when survival demands it, say experts
Experts are baffled. Lions, though capable swimmers, typically enter water only out of necessity – whether pursuing prey or escaping danger. “This behaviour is exceptionally rare,” said H S Singh, an expert on big cats. “Lions swim only when survival demands it. Even then, it is unlikely they would swim across a dam or river. Not only is it uncommon for two lionesses to swim together, but they also seem to have made swimming a habit.”
A senior forest official, who saw the video, comments: “It is interesting that the lionesses regularly swim in crocodile-infested waters, and the two species have never come into conflict with each other.”
Gujarat has seen sporadic incidents of lions swimming, such as a six-year-old lion crossing a 500-metre creek off the Jafrabad coast in Amreli district in 2016. In 2024, a video of a lion swimming in the flooded areas of Amreli garnered widespread attention on social media. But lions swimming regularly is unheard of.
Junagadh CCF Aradhana Sahu confirms, “Lions are good swimmers. We have seen them swim but only when there is flooding in the Shetrunji.”
Even globally, swimming lions are a rare phenomenon. In July 2024, Jacob and Tibu, a pair of lion brothers, made the longest swim ever recorded for their species – about 1.5km across hippo- and crocodile-infested waters. The swim was the pair’s fourth attempt to cross the Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda, and was recorded by a drone-mounted thermal camera at night.
According to the New Scientist website, the researchers think the brothers probably crossed the channel to reach lionesses they could hear calling from 2km away. Dr Peter Lindsey, director of the Lion Recovery Fund, co-authored a paper about these two lions and their incredible swim. He states, “These lions would only go to such lengths at tremendous risk out of the greatest need. Hours before their swim, the brothers lost a territorial fight with a rival group of males, meaning their only option for finding new females was to reach new territory across the river.”