Fortunately Hennie Lombard had his wits about it and managed to film what happened next.
Two large male lions arrive at water’s edge
The lions stood as sentinels on the riverbank, looking around them and across the waters of the river.
The river presented a magical landscape, reflecting the blue, purple and silvery hues of the sky overhead. However, it was the lions’ presence which added an ethereal quality to the setting.
The Crocodile River, which forms part of the southern boundary of the reserve, is so named for the large population of Nile crocodiles which inhabit its waters.
The river also supports an incredible diversity of wildlife. Elephants, buffalo, antelope, hippos, and predators all rely on it throughout the year, making it one of the park’s busiest natural corridors.
First lion enters the water
Having surveyed the landscape, one of the lions then started to move towards the waters, and entered them, boldly and forward-focused.
It started to move through the river, with surprising ease and speed.
The other lion stood on the banks and watched the other lion walking through the water. As the brave lion moved, the waters rippled outwards, testifying of the force with which the lion moved.
While lions generally prefer to avoid deep water whenever possible, circumstances sometimes leave them with little choice but to swim. Fortunately, these waters proved to be shallower than expected and the lion could wade through the water and at speed.
Second lion follows first lion’s lead
Then it was the second lion’s turn to make a move. The hesitant lion entered the waters, following the other lion and stirring up the waters as he moved with haste to get to the other side.
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He held his tail in the air as he moved, as though he didn’t want his tail to get wet, and the water formed a white foam around him as he accelerated his steps to get to shore.
One could hardly blame him. This was the Crocodile River after all!
A moment to remember!
The lions moved with such determination that had Hennie arrived by the bridge just a minute later, he might’ve missed their presence.
However, the rare moment did not go unnoticed and Hennie’s clipping shows the two breathtaking creatures move with majesty across the river and to the other side.
When looking out on the Crocodile River from the bridge crossing it, it’s easy to think it to be uncrossable. However, these lions waded across the river with relative ease.
When they were again safe on shore, they proceeded to move off into the distance. Stillness once again returned to the setting… and to the waters.
Coalitions of male lions are especially effective because they go about daily life as a team. While a solitary male faces enormous challenges defending territory, two or more brothers or long-term partners dramatically improve each other’s chances of survival. Together they can repel rival males, secure prides, and defend valuable hunting grounds.
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Crossing rivers is just a part of everyday life in the bushveld. It is always interesting to see the journey animals make across the park. We’ll keep you updated with the best the bushveld has to offer. Click here to join our Kruger National Park WhatsApp group.
