Lion Swims Zambezi River

But this was no Labrador having fun in the local pond - instead, we were watching a lion swimming far out in the Zambezi River, only its head and black-tipped tail visible between swells.

We were in Zambia, staying at Mwambashi River Lodge in the Lower Zambezi National Park. Here the river - Africa's fourth largest - is about 5km wide. On the opposite side is Zimbabwe and Mana Pools National Park.

The view across the river from Mwambashi is spectacular, with the wide expanse of blue-green water broken by small, reed-fringed islands and channels.

In the distance, rising above the smaller islands, is a hazy outline of tall trees. This is Chikwenya island, a narrow but substantial chunk of land that splits the river and is large enough to attract wildlife like elephant and buffalo - and presumably lions - that swim there from the mainland.

We could only surmise that the lion had made its way from Chikwenya and, before that, the Zimbabwe mainland. But its intentions had become clear - it was on a mission, determined to reach our side of the river.

Mike Sherren, one of the lodge shareholders, had earlier spotted a lion in the tall reeds on one of the smaller islands. Later that day Steve Martin, the Mwambashi camp manager, glimpsed what must have been the same lion swimming towards one of the closer islands before it disappeared from view.

So it was that a small group of us was hanging around after lunch in hope of seeing the lion again. We knew we were in luck when Steve, scanning the river through binoculars, suddenly called out: "It's back in the water - let's go!"

Half-a-dozen of us were still scrambling for positions in one of the flat-bottomed boats moored on the water's edge as Steve gunned the motor and nosed into the river.

As we rounded the island, we lost site of the swimming lion. Next thing there was a thrashing in the tall reeds to our left and a massive splash as something crashed into the water, rocking our boat and multiplying the nervous tension. It was a hippo, opting for the safety of the river as we motored past.

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