Swimming with lions: How I taught big cats to doggy paddle

Last updated at 09:08 30 January 2008

After a hard day's lolling around, these animals like nothing more than a quick dip.

The water-loving creatures all live at a special park for endangered species, where they have been taught to swim by Dr Bhagavan Antle, who has cared for them for 25 years.

He says: "I started swimming with tigers because I discovered it enriches their lives.

"We found we could manipulate them more easily in the water.

"Then we tried swimming with other animals, and the orangutans in particular loved it."

King of the jungle: A young lion learns how to swim in the pool

Really love those tiger feet: This tiger cub likes to get his paws wet too

He says: "I started swimming with tigers because I discovered it enriches their lives.

"We found we could manipulate them more easily in the water.

"Then we tried swimming with other animals, and the orangutans in particular loved it."

A tapir meets baby orangutan Suryl, who loves the water but
is wearing a life jacket because he doesn't like getting his head wet

Another creature that adores the water at the Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species, or TIGER, in Miami, Florida, is the aquatic tapir, from South America, which can walk along the bottom or swim on the top.

"This little one has been swimming since he was the size of a shoe box, and both his parents swim too," said Dr Antle.

Neat trick: The tapir is able to holds its
breath under water

Let's wrap it up now: Suryl dries himself off after his morning dip at TIGERS