Watch: Tiger swims across swollen river. Twitter applauds

Tigers are known to be powerful swimmers, but just how powerful they can be is seen in two videos shared on Twitter.

The first video shared by Indian Forest Service officer Ramesh Pandey on Friday showed a young tiger, tossed by strong currents in the swollen Gerua river, fighting to stay afloat. The barrage gates were closed and this prevented it from being swept further down

“A young looking tiger tried to cross Gerua river along the heavy current but flown away upto Girijapuri barrage in Bahraich (sic)," Pandey wrote.


The Girijapuri barrage is in Bahraich in northern Uttar Pradesh, and the area in the video is near the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary.

With many on Twitter wondering about the fate of the young tiger, Pandey soon posted the next video which showed the tiger trying to make for the jungle on the far side of the river with powerful strokes.

“However, the tiger being a powerful and great swimmer could cross the river against the current, and reached in jungles of Katerniaghat, part of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve," he said.

Netizens were happy that the majestic beast survived in the end.

In another post, Pandey explained that the tiger's safe passage was monitored by Akash Deep Badhawan during a time of high floods in Katarniaghat.